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105337

Wambali Wi Yuta, "Sign Talking Eagle," Adopted Son of the Sioux,
Otherwise William Tomkins.

We Are Preserving the Sign Language to Posterity
Through the Youth of America.

UNIVERSAL

INDIAN SIGN

OF THE PLAINS INDI&&5
OF NORTH AMERICA

TOGETHER WITH

A SIMPLIFIED METHOD OF STUDY, A LIST OF WORDS IN MOST

GENERAL USE, A CODIFICATION OF PICTOGRAPHIC

SYMBOLS OF THE SIOUX AND OJIBWAY

A DICTIONARY OF SYNONYMS, A HISTORY OF SIGN LANGUAGE,

CHAPTERS ON SMOKE SIGNALING, USE OF IDIOMS, ETC.

AND OTHER IMPORTANT CO-RELATED MATTER

WILLIAM TOMKINS

Officially adopted by the Boy Scouts of America, and Sign Language made a Second-Class and First-Cl
Scout requirement. Endorsed and recommended by the founder of Scouting, Sir Robert Baden Powell,
Chief Scout of the World, to the Boy Scouts of all nations, 43 countries being interested in Scout-
ing. Received the unqualified endorsement of the Smithsonian. Institute. Endorsed by
World Alliance Y. M. C. A. of Geneva, Switzerland; by National Board of Direc-
tos of the Girl Scouts, Inc.; by the Boy Rangers of America, and by Com-
missioner Chas. H. Burke, U. S. Indian Bureau, Washington, D. C.

Adopted by the American Library Association and the American Indian Association. Approved by

Society Internationale D'Philologie Sciences et Beaux Arts; endorsed by the Pacific Coast Section

National Camping Directors' Association, and recommended by National Playground and

Recreation Association and by the Boys' Club Federation. Extensively used by Indian

Schools and by the Boy Scout Associations of England and Canada.

French and German Equivalents are Shown with Each Illustration

PUBLISHED BY WILLIAM TOMKINS

FIRST EDITION, 1926
SECOND EDITION, 1927

THIRD EDITION, 1928
FOURTH EDITION, 1929

FIFTH EDITION, 1931

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

BY
FRYE & SMITH, LTD., SAN DIEGO, CAUJFORNIA

INTRODUCTORY NOTES

When a boy, from 1884 to 1894, the author lived on the edge of the Sioux Indian
Reservation in Dakota Territory, located at Fort Sully, Cheyenne Agency, Pierre, and
surrounding sections. He worked on the cow range and associated continuously with
Indians. He learned some of the Sioux language, and made a study of sign. Since
then, for many years, the interest has continued, and all known authorities on sign have
been studied, as well as continued investigations with Blackfoot, Cheyenne, Sioux, Arapa-
hoe, and other Indians of recognized sign-talking ability.

Of later years this effort has been inspired by the fact that there does not exist
today any publication in print that can readily be obtained, covering exclusively the so-
called Universal Indian Sign Language of the Plains Indians of North America.

There is * sentiment connected with the Indian Sign Language that attaches to
no^ other. It is probably the first American language. It is the first and only American
universal language. It may be the first universal language produced by any people.
It is a genuine Indian language of great antiquity. It has a beauty and imagery pos-
sessed by few, if any, other languages. It is the foremost gesture language that the
world has ever produced.

The author has lectured on Indian problems to many audiences, and at all times
the keenest interest was shown in sign language demonstrations, and he has been re-
quested, hundreds of times, to make the record permanent, and to thereby preserve and
perpetuate the original American language which otherwise is fast passing away. This
is shown by the fact that in 1885 Lewis F. Hadley, at that time a foremost authority
on sign, claimed that as a result of extensive investigation he had determined that there
were over 110,000 sign-talking Indians in the United States. Today there is a very
small percentage of this number, due to the inroads of modern education, and many of
our Indians, with college and university training, can speak better English than they can
talk sign. This language was not created by anybody living today. If it belongs to
anybody it belongs to Americans, and it is for the purpose of having it carried on by
the youth of the United States that this little' volume is compiled.

_ Very few works on the Indian Sign Language have ever been published. The first
of importance was by Major Stephen H. Long in 1823, and gave about 100 signs. It is
long since out of print.

In 1880 and 1881 Lieut.-Col. Garrick Mallery, writing for the Bureau of American
Ethnology of the Smithsonian Institute, produced two valuable works, entitled, "Gesture
Signs and Signals of the North American Indians," and "Sign Language Among the
North American Indians." These were partially illustrated and are now out of print. .

The next, and by far the most authoritative, work on Indian Sign Language was by
Captain Wm. Philo Clark, U. S. Army. He was with the army in the Indian country
from 1875 to^lSSO, and made a deep study of sign, with the result that in 1880 he was
detailed by his commanding general to devote his time exclusively to the production of
a book on same. He worked steadily on its preparation until 1884, when he died.
The work was published in 1885, a small edition, and is now out of print and extremely
difficult to obtain. It was not illustrated. This being America's leading authority
on Indian sign, and differentiating as to the true Indian and deaf and dumb codes, the
author has consulted it extensively in checking against his personal knowledge and
studies extending over many years.

In 1887. 1890 and 1893, three works on "Primary Gestures," "Sign Talk, 11 and
"Indian Sign Talk," were produced by Lewis F. Hadley, a missionary in the Indian
Territory. The latter was the more important, and was produced in an edition of but
75 copies. Of these but few copies are known to exist. There is one in the Smith-
sonian Institute, one in the Library of Congress, one in the Metropolitan Library, New
York, one owned by Ernest Thompson Seton, and one in the library of Prof. J. C.
Elsom of the University of Wisconsin, and through the kindness of Prof. Elsom the
author possesses a photostatic copy. Next to the work by Capt. Clark, this is the
foremost contribution to the study of Indian Sign Language, particularly as it contains
several hundred graphic illustrations.

In 1918, Ernest Thompson Seton, the rioted author of animal stories, compiled a
splendid work, 282 pages and about 1700 signs, profusely illustrated. The work was
named "Sign Talk", and it does not pretend to adhere to Indian signs but includes many
desirable signs of the deaf and dumb, and other sources, comprising a very fine work,
of value to any library.

Owing to the idiomatic form of the language there are certain fundamental differ-
ences which must be remembered. Every interrogation is made either wholly or in
part bv the question sign. Instead of saying "Where are you going?" the signs would
be, QUESTION, YOU, GOING. Instead of "What do you want?" the signs would
be- QUESTION, YOU, WANT. The sign for "question" covers the words WHAT,

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

WHERE, WHY and WHEN. It is made to attract attention, to ask, to inquire, to

examme. M _^^ Indian never used the terms "Good morning," or "Good evening,"
but had his own forms of greeting. The Sioux vocal language uses the term Mow
Coula?" meaning "How do you do, my friend?" The modern educated Indian uses the
terms of the white man: so we believe that in this age the use of the terms, Good
morning" and "Good evening", should not be out of place in talking sign between
Whites or Indians, particularly as these words exist in sign language and are generally
understood.

In sign language it is not customary to ask "What is your name?" because it has
a different way of asking this question, viz: "What are you called?' the signs for which
are QUESTION, YOU, CALLED.

In speaking of the age of a person, or of past or future time, the general custom
is to say, "So many winters."

For time of day, make sign for SUN, holding hand toward the point in the heavens
where the sun is at the time indicated. To specify a certain length of time during the
day, indicate space on sky over which the sun passes.

Time is reckoned by the Indians as follows: Days, by nights or sleeps; months,
by moons; and years, by winters.

Present time is expressed by Indians by the sign NOW, and also by the sign TO-
DAY, while occasionally, for emphasis, both signs are used.

What is understood to be the first person singular, is indicated by pointing to one's-
self. The plural WE is made by the signs ME and ALL. YOU, ALL, means YE;
while HE, ALL means THEY.

Gender is shown by adding the signs MAN or WOMAN.

Past tense is shown by adding LONG TIME.

Such words or articles, as A, THE, AN, IT, etc., are not used in sign language.

The syntax or sentence construction is naturally elemental and simple.

The verb is not placed as with us, but generally between the subject and the object.

One very wide difference between the Indian Sign Language and the signs used by
deaf and dumb, is shown in the word THINK. The originators of the Indian signs
thought that thinking or understanding was done with the heart, and made the sign
"drawn from the heart". Deaf mutes place extended fingers of the right hand against
the forehead, to give the same meaning.

The deaf use a great deal of facial contortion and grimace. The Indian seldom
uses facial expression, but maintains a composed and dignified countenance, the signs
being sufficient of themselves.

There have been various confusing tribal differences of gesture in regard to TIME,
present, past and future, and we have therefore recorded the most logical. See TIME,
LO3STG TIME, AFTER, BEFORE, BEHIND, FUTURE and PAST. For time of day
make the sign for SUN, holding hand 'at point in sky where sun is supposed to be repre-
sented. Indians estimate days by SLEEPS, or NIGHTS, months by MOONS, and
years by WINTERS. In reckoning- the age of a person the custom is to say "so many
WINTERS."'

With the passage of time some gestures have changed, as can be readily seen by
the following. Before the introduction of the coffee-mill among the Indians, coffee
was represented as a grain, or, more elaborately, by describing the process of preparing
and drinking the beverage. The little coffee-mill killed off these gestures at once, and
the motion made, as though turning the crank of the mill to grind the parched berry,
is today understood as meaning COFFEE by practically all the plains Indians.

While not generally thought of as such, it is nevertheless a fact, that there is one
composite group of over twenty million citizens of the United States who use a won-
derfully comprehensive sign language every day, in fact could not get along without it,
and, furthermore, they must use it or be guilty of violation of law. I refer to the
gestures made by the great army of automobile drivers to indicate "Right turn," "Left
turn," "Stop," etc.

Clark says: "It is very difficult to describe the most simple movements of the hands
in space ; so that a person who had never seen the movements would, by following the
descriptions, make the correct motions."

In order to offset the possibility of mistake in this regard, I have herein illustrated
practically all of the principal or root signs, in a manner which it is hoped will be clear
to all.

On account of the lucid explanation shown in the cuts, it has been found possible
to make verbal description very brief, thereby preventing the confusion which results
from lengthy details.

It should be remembered that this is in large measure a skeleton language, because
synonyms in general are covered by the basic word. For instance, the word ABAN-
DONED means DIVORCED; THROWN AWAY, DISPLACED; DESERTED, FOR-

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

SAKEN. The word ABUSE can, according to its connection, mean SCOLD, ILL-
TREAT, UPBRAID, DEFAME, DETRACT. The word AFRAID can mean SHRINK
FROM, COWARDLY, SUSPICION, TEMERITY, DREAD, NERVOUS, FEARFUL.

Some slight liberties in spelling have been taken by the author, in order to simplify
pronunciation. For instance, the word representing lodge, the conventional tent home,
correctly speaking should be spelled TIPI: whereas phonetically the pronunciation is
TEEPEE. We have therefore used the latter spelling.

Sign language is so faithful to nature and so natural in its expression that it is not
probable that it will ever die. It has a practical utility, and should not be looked upon
merely as a repetition of motions to be memorized from a limited list, but as a culti-
vated art, founded upon principles which can be readily applied by travelers. Sign
language may be used to advantage at a distance, which the eye can reach but not the
ear, and still more frequently when silence or secrecy is desired.

The author's thanks are due to a number of people who have helped him with the
sign language. One of the first of these was William Fielder, a noted interpreter at
Cheyenne Agency, Dakota; to Muzza Humpa (Iron Moccasin), and Cawgee Tonka
(Big Crow), two Sioux living near Fort Sully, Dakota, and in general to many other
Indians with whom he was acquainted at Cheyenne Agency, Pierre, Fort Pierre, and
many places on the Sioux Reservation from 1885 to 1894.

Mr. R. C. Block of San Diego, California, a well-educated Cheyenne Indian and a
fine sign-talker, has checked my manuscripts and passed favorably upon them.

In particular I wish to thank Mr. J. L. Clark, a Blackfoot Indian sculptor now
located at Glacier Park, Montana, and who with great patience and kindness has gone
over the entire language with me. Mr. Clark has the misfortune to be deaf and dumb,
and this has developed him greatly as a sign talker. He is America's foremost Indian
sculptor, and carves bears and other wild animals from blocks of wood, true to life.

Every author of a work on sign language in the past 100 years has emphasized the
importance of illustration of same, therefore, realizing this fact, I have given much
time to an endeavor to secure a capable artist I have been most fortunate in securing
the services of Mr. A. J. Stover of San Diego, an artist of wide experience and ability,
and graduate "of the Cleveland Art School. To his earnest devotion to the work much
credit for the book is due, and he certainly has my best thanks. All of the sketches were
posed by the author.

I have held back one thought for conclusion, and it is this: The beauty of Sign
talk depends upon the manner of making the gestures. Movements should not be
angular or jerky, but should rather be rounded and sweeping in their rendition. It is
inspiring, and a thing of beauty, to witness a sign conversation between two capable
Indian sign talkers. They are living in many parts of our country and should be cul-
tivated wherever found.

Every sign in this work is a true Indian sign. Nothing has been borrowed from
the deaf or from other sources, the compiler having adhered strictly to Indian origins.
This, of necessity, makes for a briefer book than would otherwise be possible, but a
conscientious effort has been made to make the book exactly what it purports to be,
viz: the Indian Sign Language.

It is the most earnest hope of the author that this little work will so) kindle enthu-
siasm in the breasts of thousands of boys and girls throughout the world, that the future,
through this medium will develop millions of young people who will be able to talk
sign language with as great facility, grace and beauty as it was ever presented by any
Indian in past time. This is the hope of the founder of Scouting, Sir Robert Baden
Powell, Chief Scout of the World, who recently wrote to the author as follows :

THE BOY SCOUTS ASSOCIATION
25, Buckingham Palace Road,

LONDON, S. W. L.
My Dear Mr. Tomkins: .

Thank you so much for your very kind thought of me and for sending me a copy
of your Sign Language book. I had already commended it to Scouts in other countries
in the hope that Scouts all over the world will take up the idea and use it as a com-
mon medium for bringing them all together in closer comradeship.

If it helps to bring about greater world friendship and understanding and avoid-
ance of war your research into the Indian way of communication will have been well
worth while, and you will have done a great thing for the world.

I cordially wish you every success and with many thanks and all good wishes, Be-
lieve me, Yours truly, ROBERT BADEN POWELL.

This work is dedicated to my wife, Grace M. Tomkins, whose constant interest and
kindness have made possible and a pleasure the studies and research of years, and jointly
with her it is dedicated to the youth of the world, in the belief that through the study
of this subject there may be developed in all countries a multitude of sign talkers as
fluent, graceful and rapid as our Indians themselves, and, as Sir Robert hopes, to the
general good of humanity. THE AUTHOR.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

JH<and

IT Hand

ETHand

2T Hand

R indicates right hand . L/ indicates lefi_hanot *_ Arrow, sbow.s

Abandon
Aufgeben

Dessus

Irisulter /

Beschimpfierj

Atuse

Trave-rs

Across

Avoir Peur
Furcbtsam

Add

Avancer

Advance

Afraid

Fr. Apres Midi
>r, Nachmittag

Descend^e,

Apres
MachHer

After

Afternoon

AUve

Tout
Alles

All

'Pisparu
>\lles Weg

All Gone

FRENCH AND GERMAN EQUIVALENTS ARE SHOWN WITH EACH

ILLUSTRATION

Line drawing shows beginning and dotted outline shows end of movement of hands.
Students must Compare Each Diagram with Explanation Found on Opposite Page.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE 11

ABANDON (meaning: throw away). With both closed hands held at left side near
breast, drop them downwards and to rear, at same time opening them as though
expelling some article.

ABOARD (meaning; sitting down on). Hold left hand flat, ten inches from body,
palm up. Place right fist on left palm, with little finger down.

ABOVE (meaning one thing above another). Both hands backs up in front of body,

the right resting on the left. Then raise the right more or less above the left.
ABSENT. Make signs for SIT and NO.

ABUSE (meaning: throwing lies against one). Bring right 2 hand in front of mouth;

move the hand sharply outwards or towards person indicated; repeat.
ACCOMPANY. See WITH.
ACCOST. Make the sign for QUESTION.

ACCOST (meaning: to question). When party is at some distance hold right hand
well up and wave to right and left two or. three times.

ACHE (meaning: the darting sensations of pain). Push the right index finger ove*
and parallel to the part afflicted; then make the sign for SICK.

ACROSS. The flat left hand, with back up, is held about twelve inches out from body.
Then pass the partially compressed right hand over left on a curve.

ADD. Place right flat hand on palm of left in front of body, and lift them upwards
several times in moves of about 3 inches, to indicate piling up.

ADVANCE. Point right flat hand forward, palm down, ten inches from body. Bring

left hand in same position but between right hand and body. Then move both

hands forward in slight jerks.
ADVANCE GUARD (The person in front). Left flat hand ten inches from center of

body. Right 1 hand in front of left pointing upwards, then change to 2 hand, and

move around to indicate LOOKING.
AFRAID (meaning: shrinks back from). Bring both 1 hands well out in front of

breast; bring hands back a few inches and slightly downwards, while curving index

fingers. Usually only right hand is used in making this sign.

AFRAID OF NO ONE. Point right index in several directions; then make signs for

AFRAID and NO.
AFTER, (or FUTURE TIME.) Make sign for TIME, then advance the right 1 hand

past and beyond the left hand.
AFTERNOON. Form an incomplete circle with thumb and index of right hand. Then

raise toward a point directly overhead, and sweep down towards the horizon.

AGE. Indicate by showing number of winters. (See WINTER.)

AGENT (meaning: Indian Agent). Make signs for WHITE MAN, CHIEF, GIVE,
and FOOD.

AGREEMENT. See TREATY.

AHEAD. Make the sign for BEFORE.

AID. Make signs for WORK and WITH.

AIM (meaning: "From the manner of using weapon"). If with rifle aim accordingly; if
with bow and arrow bring hands up before breast with motion of drawing bow
string.

AIRPLANE. Extend both arms straight out to each side, sway body imitating mo-
tion of plane; then swing hand in a curve from waist towards the sky. Then sign
BIRD and EQUAL (a flexible modern sign, understood by Indians).

ALIGHT (to). Indicate whether from horse, wagon, etc. Then sweep 2 hand towards

the ground.

ALIKE (meaning: that 2 people look alike). Make the signs for FACE and SAME.
ALIVE (meaning: walking about). Bring right 1 hand 10 inches from breast, then by

wrist action make 3 zigzags.
ALL. Move right flat hand in horizontal circle from right to left, breast high.

ALL GONE. Point both extended hands at each other in front of breast. Then loosely
wipe ends of fingers of right hand across palm and fingers of left, and vice versa.

ALLIANCE. Make sign for PEACE, and if for war purposes add signs GOING, WAR,
WITH.

ALL RIGHT. Make sign for ALL and sign for GOOD.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

Alone

Parmi
Davurjter

Among*

En Colere
Bose

Angry

Un Autre
Ein anderes

Arise

Arrestation
Verhaften

Arre-sf

Arriver id
Piier a-nkamme-n/

Arrive Here

Arriver la

Arrive There

Arrow

AufsteigiBn

Ascend

Honteux

Stonne
Erstaunen

A Cheval
Saitel

Astride

Eviter
Vermeiden

Avoid

Poi'ncon

Aale

Awl

Line drawing shows beginning and dotted outline shows end of movement of hands.
Students must Compare Each Diagram with Explanation Found on Opposite Page.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE 13

ALONE. Hold right 1 hand upwards in front of neck. Then move outwards in sin-
uous motion.

ALWAYS. Make the sign for FOREVER.
AMBITIOUS. Make sign for the person and sign for PUSH.
AMONG. Bring extended left 5 hand ten inches from breast, then weave right index

through fingers of left.
ANCESTORS. Most Indians usually make sign for OLD PEOPLE. Some add LONG

TIME.

AND. Make the sign for WITH.
ANGRY (meaning: mind twisted). Place closed right hand close to forehead, with

back of thumb touching same; move hand slightly outwards and by wrist action

give small twisting motion.
ANNIHILATE. See EXTERMINATE.
ANNOY (meaning: fluttering heart). Make the sign for HEART. Then flutter the 5

hand over the heart.

ANNUITIES. Make the sign for BLANKET, for FOOD and for DISTRIBUTE.
ANOTHER. Place compressed right hand over left breast, sweep hand upwards, out-
wards to right and downwards ending with back down.
ANTELOPE (meaning: pronged horns of animals). Hold both 4 hands beside head,

palms forward.
APACHE Indian (meaning: Elk horn fiddlers). Make the sign for Indian, then with

right index rub the left index from end of finger to wrist and back again 2 or 3

times.
APPAREL. Pass both 4 hands over such position of body as is necessary to explain

the clothing.

ARAPAHOE Indian (meaning: MOTHER of all Tribes). First make sign for In-
dian, then with compressed right hand tap left breast two or three times, which is

the MOTHER sign.
ARISE (meaning: to get up). Right 1 hand with back down,^ pointed to front, raise

mostly by wrist action until back is outwards and index points upwards.
'ARRANGE. Make signs for WORK and FIX.
ARREST (meaning: to seize hold of and tie at wrist). With both hands in front of body

make as though seizing hold of a person. Then cross the wrists, hands closed.
ARRIVE HERE. Place flat left hand against left breast with back out. Hold right

1 hand one foot from body, then bring same briskly against back of left.
ARRIVE THERE. This is the reverse of previous sign. The left flat hand is held

out in front; the right 1 hand held against breast, strikes out to palm of left.
ARROW (meaning: drawing an arrow from left hand). Near left breast, hold left cupped

hand, then indicate drawing an arrow from same.
ARTILLERYMAN. Make sign for WHITE MAN, for SOLDIER, for WITH, and

for CANNON.
ASCEND. Indicate in what way and what was ascended; for instance, a mountain,

sign same with left hand, place right 1 hand with index on left wrist and gradually

move same upward.
ASHAMED (meaning: drawing blanket over face). Both flat hands opposite either

cheek, backs outward. Cross right hand to left and left hand to right.
ASTONISH. Palm of left hand held over mouth. Many Indians also raise right hand.

This gesture denotes great surprise, great pleasure, or great disappointment.
ASTRAY. Make the sign for HIDE.
ASTRIDE. Separate first and second fingers of right hand and set them astride of

upright flat left hand.
ATTACK. Make sign for CHARGE.
ATTEMPT. Make the signs for WORK and PUSH.
ATTENTION. See QUESTION.

AUNT. Make signs for FATHER and SISTER, or MOTHER and SISTER.
AUTOMOBILE. Make the sign for WAGON and then imitate holding steering

wheel. (Another modern sign understood by Indians.) A Cheyenne Indian used

the signs WAGON, BY ITSELF, GO.
AUTUMN (meaning: falling leaf time). Make sign for TREE, for LEAF. Then let

right hand pass slowly downwards to right with wavy motion.
AVOID. Hold 1 hands in front of shoulders pointing^ upwards. Pass right hand to left

and left hand to right and have them miss in passing.
AWL. From manner of using same in sewing with sinew. Use right index as an awl

and bore over left index.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

Axe

Bebe
Kleines Kind

Bdby

Bacori

'Mauvais
Schlechf

Bad

\ N

\V'V

Timide
Schuchtern

iiiiL

\ L

V-

Ours
Bar

Bear

Bar-be
Bart

Beard

Casio r
Bieber

Beaver

Bed

Avant
Varher*

Before

Dessous

Belo-w

A Cote
Ausser

Parier

Beside

Au dela
Dar-iiber

Bet

Beyond.

Line drawing shows beginning and dotted outline shows end of movement of hands.
Students must Compare Each Diagram with Explanation Found on Opposite Page.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE 15

AXE. Hold right elbow with left hand, extend right arm with hand held flat, and
make as though chopping.

BABY. Place right closed hand across left wrist, palm side up, in position of hold-
ing a baby.

BACHELOR. Make the signs for MAN, MARRY and NO.

BACON. Bring extended left hand in front of breast pointing outwards; with right
thumb and index clasp base of little finger and rub towards wrist and back again 2
or 3 times; then make the sign for EAT.

BAD (meaning: thrown away). Hold right fist near breast Throw it out and down to

right, and while doing so open the hand.
BAG. Hold left hand in form of opening of bag; then pass compressed right hand

into opening. Finish by indicating sides of bag. Demonstrate a large bag by inside

of circled arm.
BALD. Make the sign for HAIR. Touch top of head with fiat hand. Then make sign

WIPED OUT.

BARRACKS. Make the signs for WHITE SOLDIER and HOUSE.
BASHFUL. Make sign for ASHAMED.
BASIN (meaning: depression in the ground). With both 4 hands form a partial circle,

then left hand holds position while compressed right hand scoops the ground.
BASKET. Make sign for KETTLE. Then interlock fingers to denote manner of con-
struction.
BATTLE. Make sign for FIGHT, then sign for SHOOT, with both hands pointing

towards each other.
BATTLESHIP. Make sign for BOAT, for FIRE, for BIG, and for BIG GUNS. (A

flexible modern sign understood by Indians.)
BAY. (Water). Make sign for WATER, then with right 4 hand out in front of body

indicate form or shape of bay.
BAYONET. Make sign for GUN. Then place both 1 hands alongside one another,

right index projecting beyond.
BE. Make the sign for SIT.
BEAR. The Crows and some other tribes hold partly closed hands alongside of head

to indicate large ears Others add to this a clawing motion with hands in front

clawing downwards.
BEARD. For chin whiskers hang compressed hand below chin for other kinds of

whiskers place hands accordingly.
BEAUTIFUL. The preference seems to be to pass right flat hand downwards over

face, then make sign for GOOD some tribes hold up left hand and look into it

as into a mirror.
BEAVER (meaning: tail of beaver striking mud or water). Hold left flat hand in front

of body, right flat hand below same, then back of right hand strikes up against

left palm sharply.
BED (meaning: spread blankets). Left hand, palm up, fingers extended pointing right

front, close to left breast, right hand palm up, on same plane and close to left

move right hand well out in front and to right as though spreading blanket; add

sign for SLEEP.
BEFORE, (or PAST TIME.) Point right and left 1 hands, to left, tandem, in position

of TIME, then draw right hand towards the right and rear.
BEGIN. Make the sign for PUSH.
BEHIND. (Sense of time.) Make the sign for BEFORE, showing length of time by

space between the hands.
BELOW. Both hands backs up in front of body, the left resting on the right; then

drop the right more or less below the left to indicate desired distance.
BELT. Use the hands as though clasping on a belt
BESIDE or BY. Make sign for WITH.
BET (meaning: to gamble). Inasmuch as the betting assumes card playing, the sign is

made as though placing 2 stacks of money or chips.

BEYOND. Bring extended left hand, back up in front of body about ten inches, fin-
gers pointing to right; bring extended right hand, back up, between left and body,

same height, fingers pointing to left; swing the right hand outwards and upwards

in curve beyond left hand, turning right hand back down in movement

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

Gros
Gross

Big

Oiseau
Vogel

Bird

Couverture
Decke

Blanket:

Vbus bendir
5ei Gesegtiet

Sang"
Blttt

Bless You

Blood

Bateau
Boot

Chapcau.
Haube

Bonnet

Ltvre
Buch

Book

Arc
Bogein

Bol
Schiissel

Gar con
Knabe

Bowl

Brave

Casser
Brechcn

Bre<ak

Pont
Bruk

Bridge

Apportcr
Bringen

Bring

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Students must Compare Each Diagram with Explanation Found on Opposite Page.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE 17

BIBLE. Make the signs for BOOK, MEDICINE, and GREAT.

BICYCLE. A modern sign, like WAGON but with index fingers tandem, then add

MAN, ABOARD, GO. Indians vary modern signs.
BIG. Bring compressed 5 hands in front of body, close together, palms in, fingers

extended flat, upright, pointing to front, separate the hands bringing them apart,

but keeping them opposite each other.
BIRD (meaning: wings). With flat hands at shoulders, imitate motion of wings. Small

birds rapidly, large birds slowly.
BITTER. Touch the tongue with tip of index of right hand and make the sign for

BAD.
BLACK. The method most used by Indians is to point to something black. Have

seen Indians simply use sign for COLOR as indicating BLACK; others make the

sign for COLOR and touch hair or eyebrows.

BLACKFEET Indians. Make sign for MOCCASIN and for BLACK.
BLANKET (meaning: wrapping about shoulders). Hold the closed hands at height of

shoulders near neck, move^ the right hand to left, left to right, closing movement

when wrists are crossed, right hand nearest body.
BLESS YOU. Raise both hands, palm outward, hands pointing front and upward,

lower hands several inches, then push them slightly towards person.
BLIND. Place palmar surface of ends of fingers against closed eyes, then sign LOOK

and NO.
BLOOD. Bring right hand in front of mouth, first and second fingers against nostrils,

move hand downwards with tremulous motion.
BLUE. Make the sign for COLOR, then point to something blue in color, preferably

the sky when clear.

BLUFF. Make the sign for MOUNTAIN, raising or lowering fist to indicate height.
BOAT. Hollowed hands held together indicate shape of boat, push out in front to

show direction; for canoe make as though paddling; for row boat as though row-
ing; for steamboat add sign for FIRE.

BOIL (to). Make sign for WATER or FOOD; then sign for KETTLE and FIRE.
BONE. Make sign for the animal for DIE, LONG TIME. Touch part of body that

produced bone, then point to something WHITE.
BONNET (war). Carry extended hands from front to rear alongside of head, then

carry right hand from crown of head down to below body.
BOOK. Hold both hands in front of body, side by side, palms up, and look at them

as if reading. Have seen Indians place palms together and open hands as though

opening a book.
BORROW. Make the sign for GIVE (to you or to me) then BY and BY or little

while, and then GIVE meaning, "Give to me a little while and I will give it back."

They have no such word as loan.
BOW (meaning: bending bow to shoot). Left closed hand well out in front of body as

though holding bow. Right closed hand held just back of same draws the bow

string.

BOWL. Indicate shape with curved hands, held close together.
BOY. Make the sign for WHITE MAN or INDIAN, as the case may be, then bring

right hand down on right side to height of boy, index finger pointing up.
BRAIN. Touch forehead with first 2 fingers of right hand.
BRAND. With index and thumb of right hand, form partial circle, other fingers closed

then press hand against left shoulder for shoulder brand, or against hip for hip

brand.
BRAVE. Hold left fist 8 inches from center of body, bring right fist six inches above

and a little in front of same. Strike downwards with right fist, by elbow action,

second joints of right hand passing close to knuckles of left. Some Indians make

the signs HEART and STRONG.
BREAD. Make sign for FLOUR. Then clap hands together as though making a cake,

right hand on top; then reverse and repeat, left hand on top. The Indian method

of making small fried bread.
BREAK (meaning: breaking a stick held horizontally in the closed hands). Hold closed

hands together, backs up, then twist right to right, left to left, as though breaking

a stick.

BREAKFAST. See EAT.
BRIDGE. Both flat hands, backs down, pointing to front, then make sign for RIVER

and sign for ACROSS.
BRING. Move the right 1 hand well in front of body, index extended, then draw hand

towards body, while curving index finger.
BROAD. Make the sign for BIG.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

Frere
Bruder

Brother

Beau.. Frere
Schwagfer

Brother in Law

Buff IB
Duffel

Buffalo

1 heu.re

ALlwahlich By and By

>^:r

Parlui .-me me '

Nur das By Itself

Appel
Rufen

Call

lllhX^-

Camp
Lag'er

Camp

Camp cont.d

Boug'ie
Kerze

Candle

Pas pi
Kann nich't

Cannot-

Gorgfe
ScbLucht

Canyon

Car ires
Karten

Cards

Cartouche
Patrons

Cartridge

Porter
Trag-erj

Carry

Chair
Katze

Cat

Line drawing shows beginning and dotted outline shows end of movement of hands.
Students must Compare Each Diagram with Explanation Found on Opposite Page.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE 19

BROTHER. Bring tips of extended and touching first and second fingers of right
hand against lips, fingers horizontal, back up, carry hand straight out from mouth,
then make sign for MAN.

BROTHER-IN-LAW. Cross arms on breasts, left arm inside, hands extended, then
strike downwards in front with right hand.

BROOK. Make the signs for RIVER and SMALL.

BROWN. Make the sign for COLOR, then point to something BROWN.

BRUSH. Hold the hands as for GRASS, but with arms extended outward from the
waist.

BUFFALO (meaning: horns of buffalo). Bring partly closed hands, palms inward, close
to sides of head. Raise hands slightly until wrists are on edges of head, and carry
slightly forward.

BUFFALO ROBE. Make sign for BUFFALO and for BLANKET.

BURN. Make the sign for FIRE. Then indicate what was burned or injured by the
fire. If entirely consumed add WIPED OUT.

BURY. Make the signs for BLANKET, WRAP and DIG.

BUT. Make the sign for PERHAPS.

BUY. Make sign for MONEY and for EXCHANGE.

BY AND BY. Make the sign for FUTURE, advancing the right hand past and beyond
the left hand. Some Indians make the sign for "WAIT.

BY ITSELF. Hold extended right hand in front of right breast, with back down and
fingers pointing to front; by wrist action strike the hand to left and towards body
with a jerk, repeating two or three times. This is a metaphoric idiom used with
other gestures. A gift with this sign becomes a "free gift." No gift expected in re-
turn. It also means FREEDOM, ALONE and SOLITARY.

CACHE. Make the sign for HIDE.

CALL OR CALLED. This is an important and much used sign. Use right hand with

thumb touching index. Then snap out index finger as in word talk, but continue

extending index. This is used for "Question you called" meaning, "what are you

called" or "what is your name."
CAMP. Make the sign for TEEPEE. Then with arms held about horizontal in front of

body form with thumbs and indexes an incomplete circle, tips 1 inch apart. Lower

the hands briskly few inches by elbow action.
CAMPFIRE. Make as though gathering something. Then make the signs for WOOD,

FIRE, SIT and TALK.
CANDID. Make the sign for TRUE, for DAY and GOOD, indicating openness and

clearness like the day, truth and goodness.
CANDLE. Hold left 1 hand in front of left shoulder, index pointing upwards. Make

sign for FIRE with right hand pointed at left index and show length of candle on

left arm.
CANDY. Make sign for SUGAR. Then hold left index vertically in front of body and

with right index indicate stripes on same.

CANNON (meaning: large gun). Make sign for GUN and for LARGE.
CANNOT (meaning: cannot go through, or bounced back). Hold left flat hand edgewise,

well out in front of body. Point right index at center of left, then move right index

forward until it strikes left palm, then bounces off and down to right.
CANOE. Make sign for BOAT, then with curved right hand held well out in front

of body, indicate the curved bow of canoe.
CANYON (also GORGE, DEFILE, CHASM, GAP) (meaning: mountain, both sides).

Hold both closed hands in front of face several inches apart, then, still holding

left hand in position, make as though to pass the right hand through the chasm.
CARDS. In nearly closed left hand make as though holding a deck of cards, then with

right hand indicate dealing same to several players.
CARTRIDGE. Hold right 1 hand back nearly up, in front of body, index extended

horizontally and pointing to front, thumb pressing against side of index, with tip

just back of second joint indicating cartridge. Sometimes signs for GUN and

SHOOT are also made.
CARRY. Place thumb side of right fist against right shoulder, then thumb side of

left fist against right fist in other words tandem stoop slightly forward as though

carrying a heavy bag or pack.
CAT (meaning: flat nose). With right thumb and index touching nose, tilt same slightly

upwards, also indicate size of animal.
CATCH. Make the sign for TAKE.
CATTLE (meaning: spotted buffalo). Make signs for BUFFALO and SPOTTED.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

Centre
Mittc

Cenirre

Chargfe

Cheyenne

Cheyenne CJneyenne

Chef
Kaiiptling

Chief

'Hacken

Chop

Ferine'
Nahe

^-crx

Nuage
Wofke

Cloud

Habit
Rock

Coat-

Kaffee

Coffee

Porrrmele
&escheckb

Proid
Kalt

Cold

Coleur
Rabre

Color

Color
Spotted,JMbtHed,Brind!eBbdn

\ \

ps>\ -\ ,'^*&z

Venir
Komm

Come

Mais
Mais

Corn

Corral

Line drawing shows beginning and dotted outline shows end of movement of hands.
Students must Compare Each Diagram with Explanation Found on Opposite Page.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE 21

CAVALRYMAN. Make signs for WHITE MAN, SOLDIER and RIDE.
CENTRE. Make horizontal circle with index fingers and thumbs. Then holding left

in same position place point of right index in circle just formed.
CERTAIN. Make the signs for I, KNOW and GOOD.
CHARGE (meaning: to charge against others). With backs up place closed hands

near right shoulder, move hands sharply to front and left, at same time snapping

them open.
CHARGE (meaning: charging against us). Reverse the above by holding fists well out

in front and snapping hands open towards face.
CHEAT. Make signs for LYING and STEALING.
CHEYENNE Indian (meaning: finger choppers). Make sign for INDIAN, then

extend left index and with right index make as though to cut or slash same. A sign

of mourning.
CHICKEN. Make sign for BIRD, sign for RED. Then place extended right hand

on top of head, indicating comb.
CHIEF (meaning: elevated, rising above others and looking down at them). Hold right

1 hand at side pointing upwards, raise hand in gradual circle as high as top of

head, then arch toward front and downward.
CHILD. Make the sign for MALE or FEMALE. Then hold compressed right hand

upward at right side and drop to the height of the child.
CHIPPEWA Indian. Make the signs for TREES and PEOPLE.
CHOP. Bring right flat hand near right breast, then by elbow action strike downwards

to left, then reverse to left breast and strike downwards to right
CHURCH. Make signs for GOD and HOUSE.
CIGAR. Make sign for TOBACCO. Then lay both indexes horizontally alongside of

each and rotate one around the other (meaning: it's rolled).
CIGARETTE. Same as CIGAR but add LITTLE.
CITY. Make the sign for HOUSE and for MANY.
CLOSE (meaning: draw near). Slightly curved right hand well out in front of right

shoulder, draw hand downwards and in towards body, holding hand flat and up-
right.
CLOUD. Hold extended hands horizontally, backs up, in front and higher than head,

indexes touching; swing hands downwards in curve to each side, to signify dome

COAL. Make signs for HARD, FIRE, and GOOD.

COAT. Place spread hands on breasts then carry them down as though over garment.

COFFEE (meaning: grinding coffee in mill). Extend left hand, back down, in front of

body; bring closed right hand few inches over left and move in small horizontal

circle, as though turning a crank.
COLD. Both closed hands close to front of body, height of shoulder, body slightly

bent. Give tremulous motion to hands and arms as though shivering from cold.
COLOR. Rub tips of right hand fingers in circle on back of left. Do not confuse this

with the sign for Indian which is made by rubbing back of left hand with flat

palmar surfaces of all the right hand fingers. A popular sign with all Indians when

designating a color, is to look around, locate the color desired, and point to it.
COLOR (2) (spotted, mottled, brindle, roan). Rub the backs of the hands together.

This represents any spotted or off color.
CONSIDER. See PERHAPS.
COMANCHE Indian (meaning: snake). m Make the sign for INDIAN and for SNAKE,

pushing right 1 hand outwards with sinuous motion.
COME. Extend right 1 hand then sweep same toward face.
COMMENCE. Make the sign for PUSH.
COMPASS. Points of the compass are shown by the way an Indian records the sun.

Thumb and index of right hand held across at left side indicates the sun rising in

the east. In this manner the right side would indicate west, straight ahead would

indicate south, and conversely would be north. A somewhat modern conception

given by a leading Sioux authority.
CONCEAL. Make sign for HIDE.
CONGRESS. Make sign for BIG WHITE CHIEF'S HOUSE. Sign for BRING, from

several directions, and sign for SITTING IN COUNCIL.
COOK. Make sign for MAKE (or WORK) and EAT (or FOOD).
CORN (meaning: shelling the corn). Project left index and thumb as though they were

an ear of corn, then twist them with right index and thumb.
CORRAL. Make sign for TREE, lock fingers of right and left hands, then indicate

circular enclosure by bringing them separately left and right in semi-circle.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

Conseil
Beratung

Council

Fou
Verriickt

Crazy

Corbeau
Krahe

Crow

Crier
Weinen

Cry

Bouture

Zerschneiden Cutting Up

Dance

-Aube

Tagesanbruch Day Break

Sourd
Taub

Deaf

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Students must Compare Each Diagram with Explanation Found on Opposite Page.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE 23

COUNCIL (meaning: sitting in a circle and talking). Closed hands well out in front of
body, little fingers touching, move hands in horizontal circle towards body to meet
with backs to body then add TALK to right and left.

COUNTING. The system of tens is universally used by our Indians in enumeration.
In counting from one to ten, the usual way is to hold the closed right hand in
front, the back towards and about height of shoulder, edges of hand pointing up;
for one, the little finger is extended; two, the third; three, second; four, index; five,
thumb; keeping fingers extended, separated, and pointing upwards; six, bring the
closed left hand at same height, equally advanced, and near right, and extend the
thumb; seven, extend left index; eight, second finger; nine, third finger; ten, little
finger.

For twenty, open and close both hands twice.

Many tribes indicate a number of tens by first making the sign for ten, then hold
extended left hand horizontally in front of body, and draw the tip of extended right
index from base over the back of each finger to its tip, each motion of this kind
representing ten and going as far as fifty; then holding the right hand in similar
manner, mark the backs of its thumb and fingers with tip of left index to indicate
from sixty to one hundred.

For counting hundreds hold up both 5 hands with both thumbs touching, hands
held near right shoulder; then swing in a circle across to left and downwards.
A number of hundreds are counted on backs of hands same as in counting tens,
first indicating that you are now dealing with hundreds.

COUNTRY. Make signs by pointing to the ground with right 1 hand; then spread
both hands low to right and left.

COWARD. Point to or make sign for the person, and then make sign for AFRAID.

COYOTE. Make sign for WOLF and for SMALL.

CRAZY (meaning: brain in a whirl). Bring compressed right hand pointing upwards
close to forehead. Turn the hand so as to make small horizontal circle, turning up-
wards to left with the sun. (To turn to right would mean MEDICINE).

CROSS (meaning: sulky). Make the signs HEART and BAD

CROSS (meaning to cross a stream). Make the sign ACROSS.

CROW Indian. Two signs have been used in this connection, for that in most general
use sign BIRD and INDIAN. A less used sign as follows: first make the sign
for INDIAN, then hold fist above forehead, palm out, to indicate their manner
of dressing the hair, i. e., pompadour.

CRY (meaning: tears). With both 1 hands at eyes indicate that tears are flowing by
tracing their course down the face.

CUNNING. Make sign for WOLF.

CUTTING UP. With flat left hand, back upwards, held in front of left breast, use
right flat hand as though to cut slice off palm of left, and repeat.

DAKOTA Indians. (See SIOUX.)
DAM. Make sign for RIVER, and for HOLD.

DANCE (meaning: hopping action). Place both 5 hands in front of breast, point-
ing up, palms 6 inches apart; move up and down 3 inches, for 2 or 3 times.
DANGEROUS. With respect to a person, make the signs HEART and BAD. If of

a place, specify in what way it is dangerous.
DARK. Make sign for NIGHT and SAME; or hold extended hands in front of and

close to eyes.
DAUGHTER. Make the sign for FEMALE, then with right compressed hand held

upright indicate the height of girl.
DAY. Hold level flat hands, backs up, in front of face, and 4 inches apart; sweep

hands up and out in a curve, ending opposite shoulders with palms up. For

TODAY, first make sign NOW.
DAYBREAK. Place both extended hands, backs f out, in same horizontal ^ plane, right

hand above with little finger touching left index; then raise the right hand a

few inches.

DEAD. Make signs for DIE and SLEEP.
DEAF. Press palm of flat right hand against right ear; then make small circular

motion with hand close to ear, and sign NO.

DECEIVE (meaning: he gives the lie). Make sign for GIVE and for LIE.
DEEP. To show depth of river or water, make sign for RIVER or WATER; then

point downwards. If depth is slight, place hand on person to show how far the

water rises on person or horse.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

Cerf

Deer

Diffamer;
Ver learn den

Defter
Trotzen

Defy

Depart
Fortgfehen

Depart

Mourxr
Sterben

Die

Creuser
Graben

Sale
Schmutz.

Distribuer
Verteiteri

Dirt

Distant-
Feme

Taucben

Dive

Chien
Hund

Dog

Fait
Getan

Done

Habit
Kleid

Dress

Boire
TrinUen

Drink

Ternir
TrCibe

Dull

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Students must Compare Each Diagram with Explanation Found on Opposite Page.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE 35

DEER. Indicate deer horns with both spread 5 hands held above sides of head.

DEFAME. Make the sign for ABUSE.

DEFY. Place thumb between index and second finger of right hand; push it sharply
towards the person.

DEPART. Make sign for GO.

DESTROY. Make sign for EXTERMINATE.

DIE (meaning: going under). Hold the left flat hand, back out, well in front of body,
fingers horizontal; bring right 1 hand on same plane and pointing to left hand,
move right hand downwards and outwards.

DIG. Execute with both hands a pawing motion, moving hands from right front down-
wards, to left and rear on curve; repeating motion.

DINNER. See EAT.

DIRT. Point to ground with right index finger, then reach down and rub thumb and
tips of fingers together.

DISGUST. Make the signs for HEART and TIRED. The head is sometimes turned
to one side, and the idea conveyed by facial expression.

DISMOUNT. Make sign for HORSE; then raise right 2 hand and lower it, pointing
fingers at ground.

DISTANT. Right hand, back to right, in front of right breast, a little lower^ than
shoulder, hand partly closed and close to body; push the hand to front, raising it
slightly. Very distant would be shown by extending arm to full length.

DISTRIBUTE (meaning: handing out). Bring right flat hand, back of same to right,
well in front and a little to right of body; move hand slightly upwards to front,
and then a little downwards; then take first position and make similar motion to
left, as though giving to several persons.

DIVE. Hold left flat hand, back outwards, well in front of body, fingers pointing to
right; hold right flat hand, back out, behind and little above left hand, fingers
pointing downward; then move right hand down and out under left hand.

DIVORCE. Make the signs for HIS, WOMAN, and ABANDONED.

DO. Make the sign for WORK.

DO NOT. Make signs for WORK and NO.

DOCTOR. Make the signs for WHITE MAN, CHIEF and MEDICINE.

DOG (meaning: wolf drawing teepee poles). Draw right 2 hand across in front of
body, from left to right.

DOLLAR. Make the sign for MONEY, and raise right index finger to indicate one.

DONE. Make the sign for END.

DOOR. Make the sign for TEEPEE or for HOUSE; hold left flat hand well in front
of breast, back outwards and pointing to right; then place flat right hand on palm,
and turn same over to right, as though little finger was a hinge.

DOUBT. Make the sign for PERHAPS.

DOWN. Point downwards with right index finger.

DREAM. Make signs for SLEEP, and SEE, and GOOD.

DRESS. Pass the spread thumb and index finger over that part of body represented

as covered.
DRINK (meaning: drinking from the curved right hand). With fingers tight together

partly compress the right hand as though to form a cup; carry to mouth from

above downwards, as though drinking water.
DROUTH. Make signs for LONGTIME, RAIN, and NO.
DROWN. Make the sign for WATER; then sign whether LAKE or RIVER, and

make sign for DIE.

DRUM. Place hands in first motion for KETTLE; then with left hand still in posi-
tion, use partly closed right hand as drum-stick, and strike down several times.
DRUNKARD. Make sign for WHISKEY and sign for DRINK, repeating four or

five times, and signs for MUCH and CRAZY.
DRY. To indicate that stream or spring is dry, make sign for STREAM (LITTLE

RIVER), for WATER, and for ALL GONE.
DUCK. Make signs for BIRD and WATER, and gesture with right flat hand for

flat hill.
DULL. Hold left flat hand in front of body, back down; then with lower edge of

flat right hand saw back and forth 3 or 4 times; then make sign for BAD.
DUMB. Palm of right hand over mouth; then make the signs TALK and NO.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

Pendant" -d ' oreille
Olirring*

Earring

Manger
Essen

Eat

Assez Manger
Satt

Ed-ten Enough*

Effort
Bemuhung

Efforf

Daim
ReK

Elk

Fin
Ende

End

Eg-aL

Equal

'<3t-

Echapper
Entfhehen

Escape

Eternellement

E "ternally

Exchanger
Austauschen

ExpHauer
Erklaren

ExterTniner

trHlg'cn

or Trade

Explain

Exterminate

Visage

Gesicht

Cascade
Wasserfdll

Tombcr
Tallen

Face

Fall

(of water)

Fall (-to)

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Students must Compare Each Diagram with Explanation Found on Opposite Page.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE 27

EAGLE (meaning: wings, and black tips of tail feathers). Make sign for BIRD;
then hold horizontally the extended left flat hand, back up, in front of left breast,
fingers pointing to front and right; then lay the lower edge of vertical extended
right hand, back to right and outwards, fingers pointing to left and front, on back
of left, on knuckles; move the right hand outwards and to right; then make sign
for BLACK, representing the black end of the tail feathers. Occasionally the
sign for TAIL is made.

EARLY. If early in the morning make signs for DAYBREAK, and LITTLE; if
early in the evening, make signs for SUNSET, and LITTLE.

EARRING (meaning: long, narrow pendant). Point extended index fingers down-
ward, other fingers and thumbs closed, alongside of ears, backs of hands towards
head; shake hands a trifle, giving a trembling motion to index fingers.

EARTH. Point with right index to the ground, then reach down and rub thumb and
tips of fingers together.

EAT. With nearly compressed right hand, pass tips of fingers in curve downward past
mouth two or three times by wrist action.
Add location of sun in the sky to indicate breakfast, dinner or supper. (Modern).

EATEN ENOUGH (meaning: filled to the throat). Make the sign for EAT; then
spread index and thumb of right hand close to breast; move the hand upwards
to height of chin.

EFFORT. Make the sign for PUSH.

ELK ("meaning: horns). With fingers extended and pointing upwards, place hands
above head; move them to front and rear two or three times.

ELOPE. The Indian method of eloping is to STEAL the woman; so the proper
signs are accordingly made, i.e., STEAL and WOMAN.

END (meaning: cut off). Hold left flat hand out in front of left breast, thumb up-
ward; then with right flat hand strike down past finger tips of left hand.

ENEMY. Make the signs FRIEND and NO. Have seen Indians make the signs
SHAKE HANDS and NO, though first sign is more general.

ENLIST. Make the signs for WORK and SOLDIER.

ENTER (meaning: to enter a TEEPEE, or stooping position in entering a lodge).
Make sign for HOUSE; then hold compressed left hand well in front of body;
bring partly compressed right hand downwards and outwards, under left.

EQUAL (meaning: even race). Hold 1 hands in front of breast, indexes two inches
apart; move them both to front, keeping tips opposite, indicating an even race

ESCAPE. With hands closed, cross the wrists; then separate hands quickly by swing-
ing them to right and left and slightly upwards; then make the sign for GO.

ETERNALLY. Make the sign for FOREVER.

EVENING. With extended right hand, make the sign of SUN sinking in the west;
then signs NIGHT, and LITTLE.

EXCHANGE or TRADE. Hold up 1 hands; then in semi-circle strike them past each
other.

EXPLAIN. Hold extended right hand, back down, in front of, close to, and little
lower than mouth, fingers pointing to left; by wrist action move hand outwards a
few inches. To be spoken to or explained to, reverse the action, moving hand to-
wards face.

EXTERMINATE (meaning: wiped out). Hold left flat hand in front of body; then
wipe flat right hand across same.

FACE. Bring right flat hand down across front of face.

FAINT. Make the sign for DIE and for RECOVER.

FALL (Season). Make sign for AUTUMN.

FALL (of water). Make sign for RIVER; then hold flat hand, back out, in front

of body; bring right hand, fingers slightly apart, over top of left hand and down

with wavy motion.
FALL (to). Right flat hand in front of body, pointing to left, back up; swing hand

in a curve, upwards and outwards, to right, then downwards while turning hand

palm up.
FAME. The highest compliment you can pay an Indian is to say that he is a CHIEF.

BRAVE; therefore make these signs to express fame.
FAR. Make the sign for DISTANT.
FARM. Make the sign for CORN and for WORK.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

Vite
Schnell

Pere
Vater

FemeUe
Weiblich

Few

Se iattre
Kampfen

Fight

Fire

.-X

.'"-?

Poisson
Fasoh

Fish

Fixer
Keparieren

Fix

Drapeau
'

Flag

Flotter
Schweien

Float

Fleur
Blame

Flower

Friand
Ztmeig'ung'

Fond

Foret
Wald

Pour Toujours
Auf {miner

Forever

OuWier
Ver^essen

Forgef

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Students must Compare Each Diagram with Explanation Found on Opposite Page.

_ INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE 29

FAST (meaning: pass by). Hold left flat hand in front of body, back to left; then
hold right flat hand, back to right, six inches to rear of left. Make right hand
go swiftly past left in a curve very slightly downwards and then upwards.

FATHER. With compressed right hand gently tap right breast two or three times;
then make the sign for MALE.

FATHER-IN-LAW. Make the sign for WIFE or HUSBAND, then FATHER.

FEAR. Make the sign for AFRAID.

FEAST. Make sign for WORK, for two or three kettles in a row, for BRING (from
several directions); first part of sign for COUNCIL, and for EAT. (Repeat this
latter two or three times).

FEATHER. For one feather worn as a decoration on the head, make sign for BIRD,
for TAIL, and place extended index of right hand pointing up at back of head.

FEMALE (meaning: combing the hair). Place both hands on either side of head,
fingers hooked; then stroke downwards as though combing the hair. Use of but
right hand also correct.

FEW (meaning: compressed). Hold partly closed hands in front of body, palms
towards each other, lower edges pointing to front, hands opposite, but heel of
right hand height of index of left, and eight inches apart; move right hand to
left, left to right until right is over left.

FIGHT. Bring loose fists, palms toward each other, in front of body, at height of
shoulders, and three inches apart. Move right hand few inches towards body,
while left goes outwards same distance; then reverse and repeat.

FINISHED. Make the sign for END.

FIRE (meaning: blaze). Carry right arm well down in front of body, fingers par-
tially closed; raise hand slightly and snap fingers upwards. Repeat.

FIRE (meaning: discharge of weapon). See SHOOT.

FISH, Make sign for WATER, then hold flat right hand, back to right, at right of
body near waist; then move the hand to front sinuously.

FIX. Hold left flat hand upwards, right flat hand crossing it at right angles; push
edge of right across left, while left flattens with back up.

FLAG. Bring right flat hand out in front right shoulder; place fingers of left hand
on wrist of right, then oscillate or wave right hand several times.

FLOAT. Indicate the WATER, RIVER, LAKE, etc. Bring extended left hand in
front of breast, back up; lay right hand on it; then move hands with wavy motion
to right.

FLOUR. Hold right hand, back to right, in front of body, and rub tips of fingers
with tip of thumb; then point to something white and make sign for BREAD.

FLOWER. Make the sign for GRASS at waistline. Then make circle of thumb and
index of both hands; then turn outside of hands under, until little fingers touch
and thumbs and indexes point up. Some add SMELL and GOOD.

FLY. Make sign for WINGS, as in BIRD.

FOG. Make sign for WATER; then cross hands, fingers open, in front of eyes.

FOLLOW. With palms facing, left hand ahead, thrust both hands forward with zigzag
motion.

FOND (meaning: pressed to the heart). Cross wrists, a little in front and above the
heart, right nearest body, hands closed, backs out; press right forearm against
body and left wrist against right. This expresses regard, liking, fondness, affec-
tion and love.

FOOD. Make the sign for EAT.

FOOL. Make the sign for CRAZY. (For UNWISE, INDISCREET or FOOLISH,
add sign for LITTLE.)

FOOTPRINTS. Make sign for WALK and for SEE; fingers pointing to ground.

FOOTRACE. Make sign for RUN and for EQUAL. If one comes out ahead, move
one finger to front.

FOREST. Hold open right and left hands ten inches out in front of shoulders, back
outward, thumb and fingers spread. Move sightly upward, slowly, to indicate
growth, then extend right hand to right and front indicating trees extend great dis-
tance, then add PLENTY.

FOREVER. Place the open right hand, palm towards right side of head, just clear
of head; then move it forward and backward twice, past front and rear of head.
In general use fifty years ago, according to Hadley.

FORGET (meaning: mental darkness). Almost make sign for NIGHT, by holding left
hand steady in front and sweeping right hand around to left.

FORT (meaning: white soldier's house). Make the sign for WHITE, for SOLDIER,
and for HOUSE.

FOUND. This is represented by I SAW IT, PICKED IT UP.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

Fragrant

Ami
Freund

Friend

GrenauUle
Frosch

Frog

Zukunft

Fuiure

Galoper
GaUoppieren

Gallop

Breche
Kluft

Gap

FilLe
Madchen

Girl

Donner
Geten

Give

Gieb Mir

.^. T,
Give Me

; m \i "v V*.

.~r ^ 1 =^y *&,

^r f\ ^09 "I - \ v

Sombre
Trube

Gloomy

Gant
Hantschuh

Glove

AUer

Behen Go

Allez. de 1'ava.nt-

Vorwarhs Gehen ClO Ahead

Chevre
Ziege

Goat

Bon

Good

Line drawing shows beginning and dotted outline shows end of movement of hands.
Students must Compare Each Diagram with Explanation Found on Opposite Page,

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE 31

FOX. Show size of animal and large, long tail with white tip.

FRAGRANT (meaning: smells good). Move the right 2 hand by wrist action upwards

from chin, nose passing between tips of fingers; then sign GOOD.
FREEZE. Make the sign for COLD, for WATER, and for HARD.
FREEZE OVER (meaning: ice closing over a stream). Make sign for COLD and

for WATER or RIVER; then hold flat hands, backs up, opposite shoulders,

fingers pointing to front; move hands toward each other until index fingers touch.

Representing ice formed on surface of water.
FRIEND (meaning: brothers growing up together). Hold right hand in front of

neck, palm outwards, index and second fingers extending upwards; raise the hand

until tips of fingers are high as head. Southern Indians make sign of shaking their

own hands, which all Indians now understand.
FROG. Make sign for WATER; then compress right hand near right shoulder and

make motion of frog jumping.
FUTURE. (Meaning time in front,) Make the sign for TIME, then advance the

right hand past and beyond the left hand.

GALLOP. Make sign for RIDE; then bring hands in front of center of body, hands
held edgewise, left near the body, right in front of same; move the hands simultan-
eously up and down several times in vertical curves, to imitate action of horse.

GAP (meaning: mountain pass). With index and thumb spread, hold left hand out
in front of breast, in form of gap; then pass right hand edgewise through the gap.

GENEROUS. Make signs for HEART and BIG.

GET. Make the sign for POSSESSION.

GIRL. Make the sign for WOMAN; then bring hand down on right side to indicate
height; fingers compressed and pointing up.

GIVE. Hold right flat hand, back to right, pointing to front and upwards, in front of
body at height of shoulder; move hand out and down.

GIVE ME. About height of neck, bring right well out in front of body, back of hand
downwards and slightly to left, lower edge nearest to body, hand flat and point-
ing upwards; bring hand in towards body and lower slightly.

GIVE NAME TO. Make the signs for CALL and GIVE. Clark says: "A young
man, after making his maiden effort on the war path, if he has met with success,
'sheds' his boyish name, and is given frequently the name by which some of the
old men of his tribe have always been known."

GLAD ^meaning: sunshine in the heart). Make sign for HEART; then sign for DAY
or OPENING UP, and SUNRISE. By carrying hands into position on curves
as indicated gives grace and beauty to movements.

GLOOMY (meaning: the clouds are close). Make the sign for CLOUDS; then draw
them down to near the head.

GLOVE. Pass the spread thumb and index of right over left hand, meaning any
covering for the hands. ^

GO. Hold flat right hand in front of body, back to right, pointing front and down-
wards; move hand to front, and by wrist action, raise ringers to front and upwards.

GO AHEAD. Make the sign for PUSH.

GOAT (meaning: horns, and whiskers under chin). Bring 1 hands alongside of head,
pointing upwards, hands held just over ears; then place back of right wrist against
under side of chin, hand compressed and pointing downward.

GOD (meaning^ the great mystery). Make signs for MEDICINE and GREAT, and
point to zenith.

GOLD. Make the sign for MONEY; then point to something YELLOW in color.

GONE. Make the signs for GO and LONG TIME.

GOOD (meaning: level with the heart). Hold the flat right hand, back up, in front
of and close to left breast, pointing to left; move hand briskly well out to front
and to right, keeping it in a horizontal plane.

GOOD EVENING. Make the signs for GOOD, DAY and SUNSET. (The true
Indian version would be SUNSET, DAY and GOOD.)

GOOD MORNING. Make the signs for GOOD, DAY and SUNRISE. (To be exact,
the Indian would say SUNRISE, DAY, and GOOD.)

GOOSE. Make slow sign for BIRD; then indicate triangular shape taken by flocks
of geese in their migrations.

GRANDFATHER. Make the sign for FATHER, and for OLD, by, rotating right
hand by right ear to indicate that hearing was poor.

GRANDMOTHER. Make the sign for MOTHER, and for OLD, by rotating right
hand by right ear to indicate that hearing was poor.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

Herbe
Gras

Grass

Grand
Gross

Great-

Grow

Demi
Halb

Half

Metis
Misch Blair

Half Breed

Hang

Dur
Hart

Hard

Qiapeau
Hut

Hat

T 4 s
Ha.ufen

Heap

Entendre
Horen

Hear

Hearf

Lourd
ScViwer

Heavy

Cacher

Fell

Hide

Haut
Hoch

High

Tenir
Halten

Hold

Line drawing shows beginning and dotted outline shows end of movement of hands.
Students must Compare Each Diagram with Explanation Found on Opposite Page.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE _ 33

GRASS. Hold the hands, back downward?, arms extended downwards to full length,

in front of body, fingers extended, separated and slightly curved, pointing upwards;

then swing hands apart.
GRAVE. Make signs for DIE and BURY.
GR AY (meaning: white and black). Make the signs for WHITE, LITTLE, BLACK,

LITTLE, or make sign for COLOR and point to something gray.
GREAT. With palms toward each other bring extended hands out in front of

breast; then separate the hands to right and left
GREAT MYSTERY. Make the signs for MEDICINE and GREAT.
GREEN. Make the sign for COLOR; then point to the grass if convenient, otherwise

to something green.

GRIEVE. Make sign for CRY, and for cutting off hair.
GROW. Hold right hand, back down, index extended, and pointing upwards, in front

of body; hand held near the ground; raise hand by gentle jerks.
GUN. Make as though shooting gun, then add sign for FIRE. For rifle add working

of lever.

HAIL. Make the sign for RAIN, for COLD; then indicate size of hailstones with

curved index and thumb of right hand.
HAIR. To denote hair of human being, touch hair of head.

HALF. Hold flat left hand oitf in front of breast with back out; lay lower edge of
right hand on upper edge of left, resting at knuckle of left index, back to right
and front, fingers extending, touching; move right hand to right and outwards.
HALF BREED (meaning: half of body one kind, half of another). Place flat right
hand upwards, in center of breast, little finger near breast; move hand one foot
to left, then back and one foot to right. Have seen Sioux make the sign "One-
half Indian, one-half white man."

HALT. Hold flat right hand palm outward, in front of body, height of shoulders;
move hand sharply to front and downwards, stopping it suddenly. Some Indians
raise the hand higher for emphasis.

HANDSOME. Make sign for BEAUTIFUL.

HANG (to) (meaning: as pendant). The left index is extended and held horizontally
in front of body, other fingers closed, and the right index curved and hooked to it.

HAPPY. Make the sign for GLAD.

HARD. Hold out left hand palm, straight up; strike it with right fist two or three
times.

HAT. Bring right hand, back outwards, in front close to and a little above head,
index and thumb spread and nearly horizontal, other fingers closed; lower the
hand until thumb and index are about opposite the eyes; spread thumb and index,
passing down close to forehead, index to left, thumb to right.

HATCHET. Make signs for AXE and SMALL.

HAVE. Make the sign for POSSESSION.

HAWK, Make the sign for BIRD; then hold partially compressed right hand a
little higher and in front of right shoulder; move swiftly to front and down with
slight curve up, imitating a hawk's dive through the air after its prey.

HE or HIM. Point right index at person indicated.

HEADACHE. Make the sign for SICK, by imitating throbbing in front of head.

HEAP. First indicate gathering in from the sides, then bring hands upwards in
curve to show the shape.

HEAR. Hold right cupped hand behind right ear.

HEART. Bring compressed right hand pointing downwards over heart.

HEAVEN Point upwards with right index, looking up with reverence. (Modern.)

HEAVY (meaning: cannot hold up). Hold out flat hands in front of body, palms
up; raise hands slightly and let them drop a few inches.

HELP. Make the signs for WORK and WITH.

HER. Point right index at person indicated.

HERE. Make sign for SIT.

HIDE (to). Hold out left flat hand, pointing oblique to right; hold right hand in
same relative position, pointing at left hand; then pass right down under left.

HIGH. Hold right flat hand, back up, in front of right shoulder; then raise or lower
to height desired to be shown.

HILL. Make the signs for MOUNTAIN and LITTLE.

HIS or HERS. Point to person and make sign for POSSESSION.

HOLD. Hold both^ hands, back out, with fingers spread; lay the fingers of one hand
over the interstices of the other, as if to prevent anything passing through be-
tween the fingers; move the hands, held in this position, slightly to right and left,
by elbow and shoulder action.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

Trou
Loch

Hole

Honefe
Ehrltch

Honest"

CKeval
Pferd

Com

Maison
Haus

House

Combien
Wie viele

How Many

Faim
Hungrig

.=^V \-U -AL -
^*U^^\

iSj , -^ \

Hungry

Chasser
Jagen

Hunt-

lor Me

Impossible
Unmo^hch

Emprisonner
Inhafheren

Impossible

Imprison

Vermehren

^'^

<&*> ' .' *-

jj^j
^&

Ihcrea^e

Indien
Indianel*

Inferieur
Margelhaft

Indian

lie

Insel

Inferior

Island.

i-ine drawing shows beginning and dotted outline shows end of movement of hands.
Students must Compare Each Diagram with Explanation Found on Opposite Page.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE 35

HOLE. Make circle with thumb and index of both hands; then, holding left in posi-
tion, press compressed right through hole.

HOMELY. Pass palm of hand over face and make sign for BAD.

HONEST. Make the sign for TRUE.

HORSE. Hold left flat hand edgewise, back to left in front of left breast. Some
Indians to make the sign more emphatic place the right index and second fingers
astride the left hand.
The sign used in illustration is most generally used.

HORSERACE. Make sign for HORSE and for RACE.

HOSPITAL. Make signs for HOUSE, SICK, and MANY. Some Indians make signs

for HOUSE and MEDICINE.
HOT (meaning: rays of sun pressing down). Hold flat hands above head, few inches

apart; then bring hands down and slightly towards head.

HOUSE (meaning: corner of log house). With hands in front of body, interlace
fingers near tips, fingers at right angles, horizontal. This is the primitive sign
for house, though Cheyennes frequently indicate shape of gable roof with both
5 hands pointing up.

HOW MANY. Sign INTERROGATE or QUESTION; point left hand at 45 deg.
angle to right and front; then with index of right hand strike little finger and
others in succession. As fingers are struck they remain down.

HOW MUCH. Expressed by HOW MANY. How much money would be, how
many dollars?

HUNDRED. See COUNTING.

HUNGRY (meaning: cuts one in two). Hold little finger edge of hand against center
of body; then move to right and left as though cutting in two.

HUNT. Make sign for WOLF, that is bring 2 hand near eye and move it around.

HURRY. Make the signs for WORK, and FAST.

HUSBAND. Make the signs for MALE, and MARRY.

I (meaning: myself). With right extended thumb touch center of breast.

ICE. Make signs for WATER, for COLD, and bring hands together as in FREEZE

OVER.
ICICLE. Make sign for WATER, for COLD, and hold right index in front of body,

pointing downward.
IMPOSSIBLE. Make sign for CANNOT.

IMPRISON (meaning: seizing hold of). Hold left fist, back to left, a little higher
and in front of left shoulder; then seize left wrist with right hand and pull it
some inches to right; then cross wrists in front of body, right on top, hands closed.

IN. For a person "in my house," make signs for HOUSE and SIT.

INCREASE. Hold hands out in front of body, palms toward each other, few inches
apart, fingers pointing to front; separate hands and move them out and apart by
gentle jerks.

INDIAN. Hold the flat left hand, back up, in front, and rub it from wrist to knuckles,

back and forth, twice.
INFANTRY. Make signs for WHITE, SOLDIERS and WALK.

INFERIOR (meaning: in rank or influence). Index fingers side by side, extended
pointing upwards; one index to represent the inferior is held a little lower than
the other. -For several persons inferior to one, right index is held a little higher
than the extended fingers of left.

INJURE (meaning: doing evil to). Referring to someone else, make signs for WORK
and BAD. Referring to one's self, make the signs for DO, TO ME, BAD.

INTERPRETER. Make the signs for HE, TALKS, LITTLE, WHITE MAN, TALK
and name particular language.

INTERROGATE. As this means QUESTION, the reader is referred to the explana-
tion given under that head.

IRON. Make the sign for HARD and point to something metallic.

ISLAND. Form an incomplete circle with thumbs and indexes of both hands out in
front of body, ends of thumbs and indexes an inch apart; leave left hand in posi-
tion, and make sign for WATER with right hand; then with tips of compressed
right hand draw a circle outside the circle first formed.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

Jaloux
Eifersuchtig-

Jealous

Joke

Sauler

Jump

Garder
Behalken

Bouilloire
Kessel

Keep

^ Kettle

Kettle Contd

Tufir
listen

Kill

Mee

Knife

Connaifre

Kno'w

Terre
Land

Ldke

Lame

Land

Large
Gross

Hire
Lachen

drawing shows beginning and dotted outline shows
Students must Compare Each Diagram with Explanation

end of movement of hands.
Found on Opposite Page.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE 37

JEALOUS (meaning: elbowing to one side). Hold closed hands near right and left
breasts; move right elbow a little to right and rear, then left elbow a little to
left and rear. Repeat.

JOKE. Hold right hand with back down, in front of mouth, fingers separated, partly
curved and pointing forward; move hand to front and upwards. This is a recog-
nized Indian sign, but not in general use.

JOYOUS. Make signs for HEART and GLAD.

JUMP. Hold compressed right hand, with back to right, close to right shoulder,
fingers pointing to front; move hand to front, upwards, over, and down in vertical
curve.

JUNIOR. For persons or officers this is generally indicated as in INFERIOR. The
tip of one index lower than the other, the distance determining the difference in
rank.

KEEP. With right hand grasp left index firmly and move hands slightly to right

and left.
KEEP CLOSE. Make the signs for GOOD and CLOSE.

KEEP QUIET. Make sign for HALT, and repeat; then by lowering the hand gently

the meaning would be, "Fear not," "Do not be anxious," etc,
KETTLE. Form an incomplete circle as in ISLAND; then with left hand in position

carry partially-closed righ't hand across and down over imaginary kettle, making

motion as though about to lift it by the handle.
KILL. Bring right hand in front of right shoulder, hand nearly closed; strike to

front downwards and a little to left, stopping hand suddenly with slight rebound.
KINSHIP (meaning: near or distant from one source). Bring tips of extended,

touching first and second fingers of right hand against lips, as in sign for

BROTHER; then make the sign for CLOSE or DISTANT, as relationship may be.
KNIFE (meaning: cutting a piece of meat, held with the left hand and with teeth).

Hold right flat hand close to face, lower edge just over mouth; move the hand

upwards and to left two or three times, as if trying to cut with lower edge of

hand. Sometimes left hand is held in front of and a little higher than right, as

though holding meat.
KNOW. Hold right hand, back up, close to left breast; sweep hand outwards and

slightly upwards, turning hand by wrist action until palm nearly up; thumb and

index extended, other fingers closed, thumb and index horizontal, index pointing

nearly to left, thumb pointing to front.
KNOW NOT. Make the sign for KNOW, then open hand and sweep it to the right,

making the sign NO.

LAKE (meaning: water and shape). Make sign for WATER; then with thumbs and
index fingers make an incomplete horizontal circle with space of one inch between
tips; then swing wrists together, tips of indexes apart.

LAME (meaning: limping motion of animals). Hold closed right hand, palm down,
one foot in front of right breast; move hand slightly to front, and by wrist action
bend the hand downwards and to left, repeating motion.

LAND. Push both flat hands toward the ground, then spread them sideways.

LARGE. Make the sign for BIG, and if very big, add sign for HIGH.

LASSO. Make sign for ROPE; then make as though to swing and throw same for-
ward; then draw the hand back quickly as though catching the animal.

LAST. Bring right and left indexes together well out to left of body, representing a
race; then pull right hand away back, representing last in the race.

LAST YEAR. Make the signs for WINTER and BEYOND.

LAUGH. Hold both 5 hands partly closed, in front of both breasts, palms up; then
move them up and down.

LAW. Make the sign for TRUE.

LEAD (to) (meaning: leading a pony with lariat). Hold closed right hand, back to
right, in front, close to and a little higher than right shoulder; move the hand to
front by gentle jerks.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

Feuille
Blatt

Leaf

Guetre
G-amaschen

Mensonge

Lie

Lumiere
Licht

Llghf

Eclair
Elite

Ecouter
Horen

Listen

Long-temps avanf- Long Tt m e - paaf

Schon lanjge her

Little

Longfemps apres ' Long Time -future
In ^paiern zeiten

Homme
Mann

Man

Plusieiors
Viele

Many

Flusieurs Fois

Oft

Mdpy Times

Marier
Heiraten

Marry

Match

Viande
Fleisch

Meaf

Medaille
Orden

Medal

Line drawing shows beginning and dotted outline shows end of movement of hands.
Students must Compare Each Diagram with Explanation Found on Opposite Page.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE 39

LEAF. Make the sign for TREE; then hold right hand out in front of shoulder,

index and thumb curved, one inch between tips, other fingers closed, back of hand

nearly to right, lower edge pointing to front and upwards; give a wavy motion to

hand to represent leaf on limb of tree.
LEGGINGS. Pass hands upwards over that portion of legs covered by leggings,

thumb and index spread, backs of hands outwards.
LEND. See BORROW.

LIAR. Make sign for the person and for LIE.
LIBERATE. Make signs for HOLD and GO.
LIE (meaning: two tongues or forked tongue). Bring right 2 hand to right of mouth,

fingers pointing to left; move the hand to left past mouth.
LIGHT (not heavy). Hold extended flat hands, back down, at same height in front

of body, few inches apart, fingers pointing to front; raise hands briskly by wrist

action.

LIGHT (not dark). Make the sign for DAY.
LIGHTNING (meaning: zigzag flash). Point right index upward; then move hand

to right, rear and downwards in jerky motion, to imitate lightning flash.
LIKE. Make sign for EQUAL.

LISTEN. Hold right 4 hand, cupped near right ear; turn hand slightly back and

forth by wrist action.
LITTLE. Hold right hand at height of shoulder, back to right, end of thumb pressing

against inner surface of index, so that only the end of index is seen beyond the

thumb nail.

LITTLE TALK. See TALK.
LIVE. See ALIVE; also RECOVER.

LIVER. Place extended hands over location of liver, then give them a tremulous

motion.

LODGE. See TEEPEE.
LONG TIME. Make the sign for TIME, then for PAST TIME continue drawing

right hand towards the right while pushing left index slightly forward. For

FUTURE TIME, hold left index in position and pass right index past and beyond

the left.

LOOK. Make the sign for SEE.
LOST. Make sign for HIDE.

LOVE. Make the sign for FOND, with more intense pressure.
LOW. Hold right flat hand, back up, towards the ground at height desired.
LUNG. Hold right hand, fingers nearly extended and separated, over breast.

MAD. Make sign for ANGRY.

MAKE. Use sign for WORK.

MALE. Elevate the right index, back out, in front of face. Same as MAN.

MAN. Elevate the right index, back out, in front of face. Same as MALE.

MANY. Hold hands well in front, to right and left of body, fingers curved and point-
ing to front; move hands towards each other on vertical curve downwards; move
them slightly upwards as though grasping hands, and finish full movement with
hands opposite and few inches apart.

MANY TIMES (also, EVERY LITTLE WHILE). Hold left forearm horizontally
in front of left breast, pointing front and right; touch forearm of left several
times with side of tip of extended index of right hand, other fingers and thumb
closed, back of hand nearly to front; commencing near left wrist and moving hand
towards elbow. This is also used to mean: OFTEN, ALL THE TIME, and
WHILE.

MARRY (meaning: trade or purchase). Make sign for TRADE; then join index
fingers, side by side, pointing to front.

MARVELOUS. See MEDICINE.

MATCH (lucifer). With right hand hold match between thumb and index; then rub
quickly against left forearm, as though scratching a match.

MATE or CHUM. Make the signs for FRIEND and EQUAL.

MAY-BE-SO. Same as PERHAPS.

ME. Point right thumb at breast.

MEAN (meaning: compressed heart). Make the signs for HEART and SMALL.

MEAT. Hold flat left hand, back up, in front of left breast; then with the flat right
hand, palm up, slice imaginary pieces off the left palm.

MEDAL. Make an incomplete circle with thumb and index of right hand, spaced one
inch between tips, other fingers closed, and place little finger on center of breast.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

Medicine
Medizin

Medicine

Recontrer
Treffen

Meet-

Mem oi re
GedacMms

Memory

Metal
Metall

Metdi

A midi
Mittajf

Mid-day

Milieu
Mitte

Middle

Meier
Mischen

Mingle

Miroir
Spiegel

Mirror

Manquer
Verfehien

Miss

"r v

y-t

U. S

I >3e-\\\V\

VOT

Erreau.
Irrtum

SouUers en chamois

Moccasin MocCdSin

Argfent
Geld

Money

Lune
Mond

Moon

Mere
Mutter

Mother

Motor Car

Line drawing shows beginning and dotted outline shows end of movement of hands.
Students must Compare Each Diagram with Explanation Found on Opposite Page.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE 41

MEDICINE (meaning: mysterious and unknown). Hold right 2 hand close to fore-
head, palm outwards; index and second fingers separated and pointing upwards,
others and thumb closed; move hand upwards while turning from right to left
in a spiral.

MEDICINE MAN. Make the sign for MAN and for MEDICINE.

MAKING BAD MEDICINE, or MAKING GOOD MEDICINE. Many Indians use
this idiom, which is somewhat typical. To express either of the above, make
signs accordingly.

MEET (to). Hold 1 hands opposite each other, pointing upwards; bring the hands
towards each other until tips of index fingers touch.

MELANCHOLY. Make the signs for HEART and SICK.

MEMORY. Make the signs for HEART and KNOW.

METAL. There is no general sign for this except that for HARD. Anything made
of metal must be pointed to or touched.

METEOR. Make sign for STAR, and with hand in that position make sign for FIRE;
and then let it drop in a wavy, tremulous motion.

MID-DAY. Indicate that the sun is exactly overhead, or make the signs for DAY and
MIDDLE.

MIDDLE. Hold left 1 hand well in front of left breast, with back to left; hold
right 1 hand in front of right breast, raise it slightly up and over in small semi-
circle until tip of right index rests on middle joint of left index.

MIDNIGHT. Make the signs for NIGHT and MIDDLE.

MIDWINTER. Make the sign for WINTER and for MIDDLE.

MIGRATE (meaning: of birds). Make sign for BIRD, MANY and FLYING to
south or north.

MILKY-WAY (meaning: ghosts, or dead men's road). Make sign for DIE, for
TRAIL; then with right flat hand fully extended sweep in a segment of circle
across that part of the sky.

MIND. Touch the two first fingers of right hand to forehead.

MINGLE. Hold slightly compressed hands out in front of body, opposite neck, hands
pointing upward, close together, move them one about the other in circles, sur-
faces touching.

MIRROR. Hold up flat right hand with palm twelve inches from face, fingers point-
ing upwards. This represents a hand mirror.

MISLEAD. Make sign for TRAIL; then show deception by pushing right index out
at a different angle.

MISS (to). Make the sign for AVOID.

MISTAKE. Make the signs for WORK and HIDE.

MIX. To mix by stirring imitate the motion. To mix otherwise, make the sign for
MINGLE.

MOCCASIN. Pass spread thumbs and indexes up from toes, over feet to ankles;
right over right, left over left, palms close to feet.

MONEY. Hold right hand, back to right, well out in front of right breast, index and
thumb curved, forming an incomplete circle, space half inch beween tips, other
fingers closed.

MONKEY (meaning: half white man, half dog). Pass the spread thumb and index
finger of each hand, other fingers closed, over and near the surface of body
from waist upwards, palms towards body; then make sign for WHITES; then
pass the hand similarly from waist down, and make sign for DOG. The upper
portion like white man, lower like dog.

MONTHS or MOONS. See pages 58 and 79.

MOON (meaning: night sun). Make the sign for NIGHT; then with curved thumb
and index of right hand form a segment or quarter moon, and hold it in line of
vision to where moon should be on high.

MORNING. Make the signs for DAY and SUNRISE.

MOTHER. With partially curved compressed right hand give two or three gentle
taps or pluckings at left breast.

MOTHER-IN-LAW. Make the sign for HUSBAND or WIFE, and then for MOTHER.

MOTION PICTURES. This is a strictly recent proposition, and must be so regarded.
The modern Indian, however, knows all about the pictures, and thousands act in
them. Have seen different descriptive signs made, the most common being to ex-
tend both flat hands, upright, and vibrate them rapidly, to show flicker of the
picture, and sign LOOK. One Indian who had been to Hollywood made sign
similar to OWL, as though looking into opera glass, and then sign for turning
crank.

MOTOR CAR. Make the sign for automobile.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

y
v&'

Di^ue
Wall

Mound

Montagrne
Berg"

/ m is*?

)^-~L

Mountain

Pleurer
Trauern

Mourr)

Beaucoup
Viel

Much

Boue
Kot

Mud

Mulef
Maulesel

Mule

II faut
Nussen

Must-

Mon on ma
Mein

My or Mine

Gazette

Newspaper

* Perce
Nez Perce

Nuif-
Nacht

Nez Perce'

Midi

Noon

Now

rment
id

Odlth

A-iiie drawing shows beginning and dotted outline shows end of movement of hands,
Students must Compare Each Diagram with Explanation Found on Opposite Paee.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE 43

MOUND. Partially curve the hands and, with backs up, bring them alongside each
other in front of body; separate the hands in downward curves, to right with right
hand, to left with left

MOUNTAIN. Push up the closed hand as in bluff, but raised higher; then make the
sign for HARD. Use both hands to represent a mountainous country.

MOUNTAIN LION. Make the signs for CAT, for LONG TAIL, and for JUMP.

MOURN (meaning: cutting off the hair and crying). With extended separated right
2 hand make as though to cut off hair horizontally just below ears; then make
the sign for CRY.

MOUSE. To represent height hold the right flat hand close to ground, and partially
closing same hand imitate its movements in running; then make sign for NIGHT,
and with right thumb and index nibble at left index.

MOVE (meaning: to move camp). Make sign for TEEPEE: then lower hands from
this position as though taking down the lodge poles; then make the signs for
WORK, for PACK, and GO.

MUCH. Make the sign for MANY.

MUD. With left compressed, catch or hold right compressed hand and drag down
over same; then reverse and repeat (imitating an animal pulling its feet out of the
mud); point to ground. For soft in any other sense, use signs for HARD and NO.

MULE. Hold extended^ hands alongside of ears, palms to front, fingers pointing up-
wards; by wrist action move hands forward and back to represent their motion.

MUST. Make the sign for PUSH. (Used as a command.)

MY or MINE. Make the sign for POSSESSION.

MYSTERIOUS or WONDERFUL. Make the sign for MEDICINE.

NAME. In asking the name of a person the Indian method would be to make the
signs QUESTION, YOU, CALLED "What are you called?" meaning: "What
are you named?"

NARROW. Make the sign for FEW.

NAVAJO Indian (meaning: makes striped blankets): Make the signs for WORK,
BLANKET and STRIPED.

NEAR. Make the sign for CLOSE.

NEEDLE. Make the sign for SEW.

NEGRO (meaning: black white man). Make sign for WHITE MAN, and sign for

BLACK.

NEW. Make the signs for OLD, NO, and GOOD.
NEWSPAPER. Hold the flat hands side by side, palm up; then move hands apart

as though spread out, and sign LOOK. To this I have known an Indian to add

the signs WRITING and TALK.
NEXT YEAR. You must indicate the season. If in winter you wish to say, "next

summer," make signs for WINTER, for FINISHED, and for GRASS. Showing

high grass. If in Summer you wish to say, "next Winter," make signs for

AUTUMN, for FINISHED, and for WINTER.
NEZ PERCE Indian (meaning: pierced noses). Hold right index slightly under and

to right of nose, then push index across to left below the nose.
NIGHT (meaning: earth covered over). Extend flat hands in front of body, ten inches

apart, backs up, right hand a little higher; move right hand to left and left to right

turning hands a trifle by wrist action.
NO. Hold extended flat right hand, back up, in front of body, fingers pointing to left

and front; swing the hand to right and front while turning hand so that thumb is

up and back downwards, then return to first position.
NOON. With right thumb and index forming incomplete circle one inch between

tips, show position of sun overhead.
NOTIFY. Make the sign for TALK.
NOW. Bring extended index finger of right hand about 8 inches in front of face, and

without stopping carry it quickly several inches to front, stopping with a rebound.
NUMBERS. See COUNT.

OATH. In early times there were several ways of imposing this obligation. Point-
ing to the zenith and the earth was an oath with many tribes. An ancient oath,
with eyes and hands (flat) upraised, meant "God see my hands, they are clean."
Holding up the right hand is now understood by all Indians, and is called "The
white man's way."

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

Reprendre

Einholen Overtake

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE 45

OBEY. Make the sign for LISTEN.

OCEAN. Make the signs for WATER and BIG.

OFFICER. Make the sign for CHIEF.

OFTEN (MANY TIMES, REPEAT). Hold left forearm horizontally in front of

left breast, pointing to front; then with right index touch left forearm several times

commencing at wrist and passing upwards towards elbow.
OJIBWAY. See CHIPPEWA.
OLD (meaning: walking with a stick). Hold closed right hand, back to right, twelve

inches in front of right shoulder, at height of breast; move hand upwards, to front,

downwards and back to first position in a curve. Repeat motion.
OPPOSITE. Point both extended index fingers toward each other, at same height,

other fingers and thumbs closed.
OSAGE Indian (meaning: shaved heads). Bring backs of extended hands alongside

of head, fingers pointing to rear; move hands downwards as though cutting the

hair with lower edges of hands. Repeat this.
OTTER (meaning: decorating the hair). Hold right hand near top of right ear, thumb,

index and second fingers extended together; lower the hand while making a small

spiral with tips of fingers. There is a general custom among all plains Indians. of

decorating the hair with strips of otter skin.
OUTSIDE. Make sign to show whether outside of teepee, house or camp; then with

left hand still in position make sign for HERE with right hand, beyond or outside

of the left hand.

OVER. Make the sign for ACROSS.
OVERTAKE. Extend left flat hand with palm outwards, fingers pointing to front

and up; hold right 1 hand near breast, palm outwards, index pointing front and up;

move right hand out till it touches left.
OWL (meaning: big eyes). Make sign for BIRD; then make circles of thumbs and

indexes of both hands and place them in front of eyes.
OWN. Make the sign for POSSESSION.

PACK. Hold partly compressed left hand in front of body, back out; then with partly
compressed right hand pat upper surface of left; then pat back of left; then reverse
and in same manner pat right hand with left. This represents loading a pack animal.

PADDLE. Make the sign for BOAT, and indicate use of paddle.

PAINT. With finders extended rub the cheeks and front of face with palm of right
hand.

PALSY. Bring the hands close to breast, back up, then shake them with a quivering
motion.

PARADE. Make sign for WHITE MAN, for SOLDIER, and for WALK. Some-
times add RIDING HORSE BACK, and GO.

PART. If one-half, make sign for HALF; if more or less indicate accordingly.

PARTNER. Make sign for BROTHER. Indians seem averse to partnership, but
often adopt a man as friend or brother.

PAST. (Sense of time meaning time behind.) Make the sign for BEFORE.

PAWNEE (meaning: Wolf). Make the sign for INDIAN, then hold right 2 hand,
fingers extended, close to right shoulder, palm outwards; carry hand slightly up-
wards and six inches to front.

PAYMASTER. Make the signs for MONEY and CHIEF.

PEACE. Clasp the hands in front of body, with back of left hand down.

PEAK. Compress fingers of right hand tightly together, cone shape; then raise hand
in front of body, back outwards.

PEOPLE. Right index, shoulder high, moving up and 'down as shown. Have seem
Indians use both 5 hands, near breast, backs out.

PERHAPS (meaning: two hearts). Hold right 2 hand over heart, pointing to left,
fingers separated; then by forearm movement roll the hand back and forth. When
expressing many conflicting emotions or many doubts, vibrate *or roll the extended
5 hand. This would represent deep consideration.

PHONOGRAPH. With right hand make as though to wind it up; then show turning
disk; then make signs for LISTEN, and GOOD. (A flexible modern sign, well
understood by Indians.)

PICKET To picket a horse (meaning: to drive picket pin in the ground). Make the
sign for HORSE, for TIMBER; then bring closed left hand, thumb up, in front
of body, and strike it a few times with closed right hand.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

Pipe
Pfeife

Pipe

Pistolet
Pistole

>Y V

Pisfol

Compassion
Mitlaid

Pity

Beaucoup
Geniig

WSs'^

-
Bedaure mich Pity Me

Pauvre
Arm

Poor

Portrait-
Bildnis

Becharne

Possession
Besitz

V *v^ N - ^^ J^-

Oi " / SP^

Poor in flesh

Porfrait

Possession

^^vfs^Jli

Poudre
Pulver

Powder

'rairie
Prarie

Prairie

Pri'sajnier

Gefangener Prisoner

Conversation prive'e
Privatgespracjj

Querelle
Streifr

Private Talk

Push

Line drawing shows beginning an,d dotted outline shows end of movement of hands
Students must Compare Each Diagram with Explanation Found on Opposite Page.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE j47

PIPE (meaning: holding long wooden stem). Bring the hands in front of neck, backs

down, left hand four inches from chin, right hand several inches in front of left;

move hands to^ front and downwards short distance, as though lowering pipe; then

repeat. (Stem is held between thumb and index.)
PISTOL. Make the sign for GUN; then with both hands indicate "six", for six shooter,

by holding up right hand, fingers and thumb extended, separated, and holding up

left thumb, left fingers closed.

PITY towards another. Both 1 hands, backs tip, carried outward and downward to-
wards another person.

PITY ME. Hold both 1 hands, well out, and draw them to the breast
PLANT. Make sign for CORN, for WORK; then with right hand near shoulder

make as though dropping seed in the ground.

PLENTY. Hold extended 5 hands well out to right and left; then bring them in to-
gether as though gathering something up.

PONY. Make the signs for HORSE and LITTLE, showing height with left flat hand.
POOR (in possession). Hold up left 1 hand, back out, index pointed upwards; then

with right index make as though to scrape left index bare, striking from tip of

finger downwards.
POOR (meaning: flesh clawed off). Bring curved hands close to center of body and

make as though to claw the flesh off the ribs, first with right then with left. Repeat.
PORCUPINE. Show size of animal; then point up with fingers as in grass; then indi-
cate working on moccasin.
PORTRAIT. Hold left hand same as in MIRROR, and with right hand indicate as

though making sketch on left palm.
POSSESSION Cfor such words as HIS, HERS, YOURS, MINE, ETC.). Hold closed

fist in front of neck, back to right; swing hand slightly downwards and by wrist

action have thumb point to front.
POWDER. Hold left flat hand in front of body, back down, and rub tips of fingers

and thumb of right hand slightly above left palm.
PRAIRIE. Extend both hands out in front, about height of face, touching, palms up,

fingers to front; 'then separate hands moving right to right, left to left on an even

plane.
PRAIRIE DOG. To right of body hold right hand near ground, showing height of

animal; then make sign for HOLE; then push compressed right hand through

closed left hand, until tips emerge; then with thumb and index snap them as in

LITTLE TALK, representing their chattering noise.
PRAY. Make the signs for WORK (meaning: making), and MEDICINE. Some

Southern Indians hold both flat hands, palms up, high above the sides of the head

meaning: "God sees my hands; there is no blood on them, I am innocent."
PRESIDENT. Make the sign for WHITES, for CHIEF, and for BIG, and with left

hand point afar as if towards Washington.
PRIEST (meaning: black robes). Make the sign for COAT, carrying hands well down,

and for BLACK. ,,,..

The earliest Missionaries among the Indians were The Catholic Priests, known as

"Black Robes," and Episcopalian ministers, known as "White Robes."
PRISONER (meaning: bound at wrists). Close the hands, cross the wrists in front

of body, the right resting on left, palms down.
PRIVATE TALK. Hold extended left hand, back up, in front of left breast; with

right thumb and index make sign for LITTLE TALK under and close to left palm.
PROUD. Used by Indians as meaning vain. Make sign for PAINT, for DRESS

and for FOND meaning, fond of GOOD DRESS.
PUEBLO Indian. Make sign for MEXICAN, for WORK, for BLANKET, and for

STRIPED.
PUSH. Place both fists near breasts holding arms rigid; then move them a few inches

forward as with an effort.

QUARREL. Bring index fingers, pointing up, several inches ^apart, opposite each other,
in front of body, level with shoulders; now by wrist action move right tip toward
left then tip toward right, alternately, and repeat. Make motions sharply. Also
means SCOLDING.

QUEEN. Make signs for FEMALE, CHIEF, and BIG.

QUENCH. Make the sign for FIRE; then, with back up, hold extended right hand
over place where sign for FIRE was made, and lower the hand; then make sign
for WIPED OUT.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

/ , \ > . Imprudent
1 J U ' Rapids Hastig

outline shows end of movement of hands.
Explanation Found on Opposite Pag-e.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE 49

QUESTION. Hold right 5 hand, palm outwards, at height of shoulders, fingers and
thumb extended, separated and pointing upwards, turn the hand slightly by wrist
action two or three times. If the person is distant, hold the hand higher and move
it considerably to right and left. This particularly means WHAT and partially
means WHY, WHERE, WHEN; which see.

QUICK. Make the sign for HURRY.

QUIET DOWN. Hold flat hands, back up, out in front of body, as high as shoulders,
fingers pointing to front; lower the hands slowly.

RABBIT. Show the height of rabbit; then make the sign for JUMP.
RACE. State kind of race. Then move index fingers forward as in EQUAL.
RAILWAY. Make the sign for WAGON; then for FIRE with right hand held well

up in front of head, then sign FAST.
RAIN (meaning: falling from clouds). In front of head hold closed hands, near each

other, backs up, in same relative positions; lower hands a trifle by wrist action,

and while doing so open the hands. Repeat motion twice, slowly.
RAINBOW. Make the sign for RAIN, and for FINISHED; then with extended right

hand, back up, imitate circle of rainbow in sky.
RAPIDS. Make the sign for RIVER and for ROCK; then hold right 5 hand near

breast, pointing downwards; with tremulous motion move hand quickly to front

and down.
RASH. Hold the left flat hand over the eyes, then thrust the right index outward

from back of left hand.
RATTLE. With closed right hand held in front and above right shoulder, shake the

hand as if it was a rattle. (The rattle is an important musical instrument in Indian

ceremonies.)
RATTLESNAKE. Make the sign for SNAKE; then extend right index upwards in

front of right shoulder and vibrate sharply.
REACH (to). See ARRIVE THERE.
READING. Make signs for BOOK and LOOK.
RECEIVE. Make the sign for POSSESSION.
RECOVER. Place right 1 hand before right breast, back up, forearm horizontal;

raise the hand until forearm straight up, turning hand until back is to front. This

means recovery from sickness or escape from danger.
RED (meaning: paint used on face). With _ fingers pointing upward, rub right cheek

with inside first joints of right hand, making circular motion.
REMAIN. Make the sign for SIT.

REMEMBER. Make the signs for HEART, and KNOW.
REPEAT. Make the sign for OFTEN.

RESTRAIN. Make the sign for HOLD, and for KEEP QUIET.
RETREAT. Make the sign for CHARGE, to show the attack; then by wrist action

turn the hands .so that fingers point to rear.

RICH. Make the signs for POSSESS, MANY, PONIES (or HORSES).
RIDE. If animal is meant, make the sign for HORSE, and then, move hands forward

in small curves. If riding a vehicle make the sign for same, and then make sign

for SIT on left palm.
RING (finger). Hold left 5 hand in front of breast, lying flat, back up; then touch back

of finger on third joint with right index.
RISING MAN. Make sign for person; then hold left hand at height of neck, palm

outwards, index pointing upwards; bring extended index of right hand beside and

lower than left; raise right slowly until well above other hand.

RIVER (meaning: water flowing). Make the sign for water; then move right hand

to left of face, height of neck, index extended pointing left, move hand to right

until opposite right shoulder, with index horizontal.
ROAD. With both 'open hand palms up, alternately push hands back and forth. A

modern sign gives TRAIL and WAGON.
ROCK. Make the sign for HARD, and indicate shape.
ROPE. Hold hands as in AFTER; then with tip of right index make a spiral curve

by wrist action while drawing right hand to rear.
ROSE. Hold slightly compressed left hand out in front; then with right compressed

pluck at ends of fingers.
RUN (to). Make the sign for WALK and for FAST.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

Frapper centre

Dagegfen renner Run Again sf

Selle
Sattel

Saddle

Voir
Sehen

5ee

5aisir
Ergreifen

Seize

Se'parer
Sepanat-

Separate

Coudre
Nahen

Sew

Dormer la main
Hand reichen

Aigii
5cbarf

Sharp

Moulran
Sch'af

Sheec

Shoot-

Court
Kurtz

Sliori:

Malade
Kranz

Langvage de si^nes

ii/ence
itill

Silent

Cha-nier-

Sing

Line drawing shows beginning and dotted outline shows end of movement of hands
Students must Compare Each Diagram with Explanation Found on Opposite Page.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE . 51

RUN AGAINST. Hold flat left hand in front of breast, back out; hold right in same
relative position but nearer body; move right briskly so that back strikes inside of
left hand.

SACRED. Make the sign for MEDICINE.

SAD (meaning: heart laid on the ground). Make the sign for HEART; then swing

hand out and downwards toward the ground, turning palm up.
SADDLE. Place inside of both wrists together in front of breast; then holding this

position, push both closed hands as far back as possible.
SALT. Touch the tongue with tip of extended right index, other fingers and thumb

closed; then make the sign for BAD. Sometimes the sign for WHITE is made;
SAME. Make the sign for EQUAL.
SERGEANT. t Make the sign for WHITES, for SOLDIER, and with right index

mark position, extent and number of stripes on the arms.
SAW. Imitate using the tool.
SCHOOL HOUSE. Make the sign for HOUSE, for WHITES, for LOOK (2 fingers

pointing towards left palm), and for KNOW.
SCOLD. Make the signs for TALK and BAD.
SCOUT. Make the sign for WOLF.

SCOUT (to). Make the sign for WOLF; then sign for LOOK.
SEARCH. See SCOUT.
SEASONS. The usual names for the seasons are, WINTER, SPRING, SUMMER,

FALL, and for explanation of same see pages 57, 49, 51, 23.
SEE. Bring right 2 hand to opposite eyes, and the two fingers should point in the

direction one is looking.
SEIZE. Move open hands out in front of body; close them briskly and draw towards

body, as though seizing something.
SELL. See EXCHANGE.
SEPARATE. Hold the 1 hands close together in front, indexes pointing forward;

by wrist action turn the hands so that right index points to right and front, left

index to left and front; moving right hand to right and front, left to left and front.
SEW. Hold flat left hand, back to left, in front of body; use right index as an awl or

needle, bringing it just over thumb, pointing to left, inner surface pressed against

inner surface of index; move right hand slightly to left, and by wrist action turn

back of index down as it passes. Repeat motion two or three times.
SHAKE HANDS. Clasp hands in front of body. In former times Indians only

clasped hands in concluding a treaty or making peace. They now, in dealing with

whites, observe the custom.
SHARP. Hold flat right hand, back down, in front of right breast; then lightly touch

lower edge of right hand with ball of left thumb; then make sign for GOOD.
SHAWL. Make sign for FEMALE; then sign for BLANKET.
SHE. Make the sign for WOMAN.
SHEEP Mountain (meaning; horns). Compress and slightly curve the hands in front

and above the head have them curve in a way similar to that made by the big

horns of the sheep.
SHEEP Domestic. Make sign for MOUNTAIN SHEEP, for WHITES, and for

WITH.

SHOE. Make the signs for MOCCASIN and WHITES.
SHOOT. Hold nearly closed right hand, back up, in front of breast, tips of first three

fingers pressed against ball of thumb; move hand out, down and to left, while

snapping the fingers out from under the thumb.
SHORT. Hold compressed right hand to right and front of body, fingers pointing

upward and hand at height to be represented.
SHOSHONE Indian (meaning: sheep eater). Make the sign for INDIAN, for

SHEEP, and for EAT.
SICK. Hold extended 5 hands in front of body; then wave them out and in, two or

three times, to denote throbbing.

SIGN LANGUAGE. Hold out flat left hand, back up, touch back of fingers with

inside of fingers of right hand; then reverse this process; then make sign for TALK.

SILENT. Place tips of fingers of right hand over lips, and incline the head sliehtlv

to front.
SILVER. Make the signs for MONEY and WHITE.

SINCE. See AFTER.

SING. Hold right 2 hand in front of mouth and make sign for ALL.

INDIAN. SIGN LANGUAGE

Bieiben Oir or Remain

Line drawing shows beginning arid dotted outline shows end of movement of hands
btudents must Compare Each Diagram with Explanation Found on Opposite Page.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE 53

SIOUX Indian (meaning: cutting off heads). Draw right flat hand across, from left,
in front of neck as though cutting off the head. This is the sign of the Sioux or
Dakota Nation.

SISTER. Make the sign for FEMALE; then place the tips of extended index and
second finger against lips, fingers horizontal, backs up, other fingers and thumb
closed; move the hand horizontally several inches to the front.

SISTER-IN-LAW. Make the sign for BROTHER, for HIS, and for WIFE.

SIT or REMAIN. Hold closed right hand in front of and little below right shoulder;
then move hand downward several inches.

SLED. Hold the 1 hands, backs down, in front of body, equally advanced, several
inches apart, indexes curved, move hands forward simultaneously.

SLEEP. ^ Lower the extended flat hands with a sweep into following position: left
hand in front of right breast pointing to right, right hand six inches to right of left,
pointing to front and right; then incline head to right.

SLOW. With both palms facing and three inches apart, move hands slowly forward

by short stops.

SMALL. If referring to an animal, indicate the height. For small quantity of any-
thing make the sign for FEW.
SMELL. Bring right 2 hand, fingers separated, back up, in front of chin pointing to

face; then by wrist action move the hand upwards, so that nose passes between tips

of fingers.
SMOKE. For distant or signal fire smoke, make sign for FIRE, and continue raising

hand until higher than head.
SMOKE (meaning: to smoke a pipe). Hold left fist in front of body; then with flat

right hand held three inches above left strike down two or three times; then make

sign for PIPE.
SMOOTH. Make the sign for PRAIRIE, and add ROCK or BLUFF, and WIPED

OUT.
SNAKE. Hold right 1 hand at right side, waist high, move hand one foot forward

with a wavy motion.
SNOW. Hold extended 5 hands in front of face, fingers pointing downward, lower

in circular zigzags, to indicate whirling, sifting snow.

SNOW SHOE. Indicate the shape and size with right index; then make signs for
WALK, SNOW, and GOOD.

SOAP. With hands held in front of body, rub them together as though washing them.

SOFT. Make the signs for HARD and NO.

SOLDIER. Bring closed fists in front of breast, thumbs touching; then separate hands
horizontally to right and left.

SON. Make sign for man; then with right index pointing upwards, lower hand to in-
dicate height of child.

SORREL. Touch something yellow and make sign for LITTLE.

SOUR. With tip of extended index of right hand touch the tongue; then make sign
for BAD.

SPEAK. See TALK.

SPOON. Make the sign for BUFFALO, and leaving right hand in position touch it
with left; then use right hand to dip into some vessel, and carry to mouth.

SPOTTED. Hold out flat left hand and arm, pointing right and front; then hold right
hand above left wrist, fingers slightly separated; then with right finger tips start-
ing at left wrist, touch left forearm every two inches towards elbow, merely
brushing with ends of fingers. Southern Indians lay back of hands on each other,
fingers over fingers, then rub them back and forth several times, to represent spotted,
mottled, brindle, roan, or any off color.

SPRING (meaning: grass coming out of ground). Make the signs for GRASS and
LITTLE.

SPRING (meaning: a spring of water). Make the sign for WATER; then with thumbs
and index fingers form a circle in front of body; then, still holding left in position,
bring compressed right under the circle, fingers held under the thumb; then release
them with a snap to indicate bubbling spring. Repeat last movement.

SPY. Make the sign for WOLF.

STAND. To indicate anything standing upright, bring right 1 hand to right and front
2nd higher than right shoulder, index pointing upwards.

STANDING ROCK (meaning: an agency on the MISSOURI RIVER). Make the
signs for STAND and ROCK.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

Etoile
Stern

Star

DeVoler
Stehlen

.Steal

Frapper
Schlagfen

Strike

JRayer
Gesb-Eift

Soleil
5onne

5tripedl

Sun

Superieu.r
Besser

Superior

Lever dusoleii
Sonnen

5unri56

En tourer

Surround

Nagsr
ScJiwtnrnien

Swim

Dlscours
jSprechen

Prefidre
NeVimen

Take

Causerie

Plaudern Little TaLk

Mgler
Verwickelt

Tangled

Goater
Geschmack

Tattoo

Line drawing shows beginning and dotted outline shows end of movement of hands.
Students must Compare Each Diagram with Explanation Found on Opposite Page.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE 55

STAR. Make the sign for NIGHT; then form a small incomplete circle with right

thumb and index, and raise hand toward sky. For brilliant star, snap index against

thumb to denote twinkling.
START. Make the sign for GO.
STAY. Make the sign for SIT.

STEAL. Hold extended left hand in front of left breast, back up, pass right 1 hand
under and close to left hand, until right wrist is close to left palm, right index ex-
tended; then draw back the right hand, at same time crooking index,
STEAMBOAT (meaning: fire-boat). Make the sign for BOAT; then sign for FIRE,

holding hand a little higher than the head.
STINGY. Make the signs for HEART and FEW.
STONE. Make the sign for HARD, and indicate shape as of a boulder.
STOP. See HALT.

STORE. Make signs for HOUSE and TRADE.
STRAIGHT. See TRUE.
STRIKE. Hold left flat hand out in front of left breast, back down; use right hand

like a hatchet and strike palm of left. Generally used to represent a blow given

with a weapon.
STRIPED. Hold left arm as in SPOTTED; then draw palm of extended right hand

from left to right across left forearm in various places.
STRONG. The sign for BRAVE was formerly used by many. The later preference is

to hold right fist^above left fist and strike over and downwards with twisting motion,

as though breaking a small stick.

SUGAR. Touch the tongue with tip of right index; then make the sign for GOOD.
SUMMER. Make the sign for GRASS, holding hands very high. Some Indians also

denote SUN passing overhead, and HOT.
SUN. Form, with index and thumb of right hand, an incomplete circle, space of one

inch between tips; hold hand towards the east; then move it in a curve across the

heavens towards the west. Also used to denote the time of day. (Right hand held

towards left indicates eastward).
SUNDAY. Make signs for DAY and MEDICINE. Have seen Indians describe other

days of the week by indicating so many days before or after Medicine Day.
SUNRISE. With right index and thumb make an incomplete circle, other fingers

closed. Hold arm horizontal pointing to left; then raise hand about a foot.
SUNSET Opposite to SUNRISE. With thumb and index of right hand forming

an incomplete circle, extend right hand to right, about 1 foot above horizontal;

then lower same 12 inches.
SUPERIOR. In comparing two persons or things, place the two extended indexes

side by side, pointing up, one held higher than the other, the highest representing

the superior. When one is superior to several, place index of right hand above

extended thumb and four fingers of left.
SUPPER. See EAT.

SURPRISE. Make the sign for ASTONISH.

SURROUND. Hold thumbs and indexes in semi-circle several inches apart and op-
posite each other; then bring them together to form a flat circle.
SWEET. See SUGAR.
SWIM. Make the sign for WATER; then strike the arms out well in front as though

swimming.

TAIL. Place right 1 hand to rear of center of body, index finger pointing to rear

and downwards.
TAKE. Push the right 1 hand well out in front, to right of body, index extended,

pointing to front; pull hand quickly towards body while curving index finger into

a hook.
TALK. A "little talk", or "one person talking to another", is expressed as follows:

with nail of right index pressing against thumb, move hand a trifle to front and snap

the index straight forward (these words "are thrown out")- Repeat motion. For

a council to "speak at length", hold right flat hand, back down, in front of mouth,

and move hand outward a few inches; repeating the motion.
TALL. Hold right hand as in STAND, but at full length of extended arm.
TANGLED, Move the hands, one about the other, with fingers slightly separated.
TASTE. Touch the tongue with tip of right index.
TATTOO. Compress the right hand, and tap with ends of fingers that portion of

body which has been marked.
TEA. Make the sign for TREE, for LEAF, for DRINK, and for GOOD.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

Teepee

Cites -moi
Sag'mir

Tell Me

Herci
Danke

Thank "You

Epais
Dick

Thick

Maigre
Dunn

Thu

Penser
Denken

TMc

Temps

Time

FatigMe
Mude

Tired

Tafcac
Tafcak

Tobacco

Ensemble
Zttsammen

Together

Hache de^uerre
Tomahawk

Tauschen

Trade

Trap

Arbre
Baum

Tree

Trottei*
Tifaben

Trot-

Line drawing shows beginning, and dotted outline shows end of movement of hands.
Students must Compare Each Diagram with Explanation Found on Opposite Page.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE 57

TEEPEE.^ With index fingers, touching at tips, form an angle of 60 degress. Some-
times index fingers are crossed at first joints, to indicate extended teepee poles.

TELEGRAPH. Make sign for WRITE; then hold flat hand back out, in front of
breast; with lower edge of extended right hand strike upper edge of left, with a re-
bound, and then make sign for GO, quickly. A flexible modern sign.

TELL ME TALK TO ME (meaning bring the word to me). The open right hand
is placed palm up in front of mouth; then draw toward the lips with a quick jerk.

THANK YOU. Extend both flat hands, backs up, in sweeping curve outward and
downward, toward another person.

THERE. Make the sign for SIT, moving the hand well out from body. Have seen
Indians simply point with middle finger.

THEY or THEM. Point to person and make sign ALL.

THICK. Hold up flat left hand sideways in front of breast, with right hand reach
around from below and clasp thickest part; move thumb and finger back and forth
few tinxes.

THIEF. Make the sign for PERSON and for STEAL.

THIN. If possible point to something thin; otherwise with right thumb and two
fingers rub lower edge of left hand just back of little finger. This is a somewhat
confusing sign, as it also stands for BACON. If making sign for BACON, add
the sign EAT.

THINK (meaning: drawn from the heart). Hold right hand, back up, against left

breast, index extended and pointing to left; move hand horizontally outwards

eight or ten inches, turning palm downward.
THOUSAND. Make sign for HUNDRED and for TEN.
THREAD. As though twisting thread rub innner surface of tips of thumb and index;

make the sign for SEW, ending by carrying right hand well out to right to imitate

motion of sewing.
THUNDER. Make the sign for BIRD^and for FIRE, holding the hand a little in

front of and higher than head. (Indian lore records thunder as being caused by

the "Thunder Bird".)
TIME. There has been some diversity of gesture in regard to passage of time, but we

present the most logical. For abstract TIME, extend right and left 1 hands towards

the left, hands tandem, then pull right hand about three inches backward to right.

See BEFORE, AFTER, FUTURE, PAST, BEHIND and LONG TIME.
TIMOROUS. Make the signs for COWARD, and LITTLE.
TIRED. Hold out 1 hands together, backs up; lower hands a few inches while drawing

them slightly towards body.
TOBACCO. Hold the flat left hand, back down, in front of body; place lower edge,

or heel, of closed right hand on left palm; then with heel of right hand rub left

palm with a circular motion.

TODAY. Make the signs for DAY and NOW.. Many Indians merely use NOW.
TOGETHER. Make the sign for WITH.
TOMAHAWK. Generally indicated by using right forearm and hand as a hatchet,

by elbow action, striking forward and downward with flat hand held edgewise.
TOMORROW. Make the sign for NIGHT, then sign for DAY; then with left hand

indicate SUN rising in east.

TONGUE. Protrude tongue a trifle and touch with first finger.
TORNADO (meaning: the wind charges). Make the sign for WIND, and for

CHARGE.

TOWN. Make signs for CITY and LITTLE.
TRACK. Make the sign for WALK and point to the ground.
TRADE. Make the sign for EXCHANGE.

TRADER. Make the signs for WHITES, CHIEF and TRADE.
TRAIL (to). Make the signs for TRACK and LOOK.

TRAP. For iron or steel traos, touch or point to something made of metal; hold
' closed hands side by side, knuckles touching, index fingers curved and touching;

then bring sides of indexes together, to represent closing of jaws of trap.
TREATY. If the treaty is between two tribes make the signs for MAKE, SMOKE,

and SHAKE HANDS. If treaty is with the whites, make signs for SHAKE

HANDS and WRITE.
TREE. Hold open left hand about ten inches in front of shoulder, back outward, thumb

and fingers spread. Move slightly upward, slowly, to indicate growth.
TROT. Make sign for the animal; then bring both fists in front of body, same height,

equally advanced, and few inches apart; then imitate action of front feet in trotting

by alternately striking to front and downwards.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

Vrai
Wahr

True

Essayer
Versuchen

Try

Pincettes
Pincette

Tweezers

Scintiller
Z win kern

Ugly

Inccrfain
Ungewbs

Uncertain

Verstehen' Understand

Unir
Vereinigen

Unite

En
Auf-

wag"en

Wagen

Wdg'on

Wag'on C coveredD

Aiiendre
"Marten

Wdl it-

Marcher
&e?ien

Walk

Besoin

Wcani:

War

Line drawing shows beginning: and dotted outline shows end of movement of hands.
Students must Compare Each Diagram with Explanation Found on Opposite Page.

. INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE 59

TROUBLE. Make sign for HEART; then hold right 5 hand over heart, palm almost

touching, and by wrist action vibrate as in PERHAPS.
TRUE (meaning; one way or tongue straight). Hold right 1 hand, back up, under

chin, close to neck; move index finger straight to the front. This means straight

from heart and tongue.
TRY. Make the sign for PUSH.
TURKEY (meaning: beard). Make the sign for BIRD; then place compressed right

hand under chin, pointing downwards; vibrate hand slightly by wrist action.
TWEEZERS. With tip of thumb and index, make as though same were a small pair

of tweezers; then indicate pulling out hair from face or eyebrows with a jerk.

This is a constant practice with Indians.
TWINKLE. Make the sign for STAR, and while holding hand in that position snap

index and thumb as in LITTLE TALK.

UGLY. Pass the palm of flat right hand in a circle close to face; then make the sign

for BAD.

UNCERTAIN. Make the sign for PERHAPS.
UNDECIDED. Make the sign for PERHAPS.
UNDERSTAND. Make the sign for KNOW.
UNITE. Make the sign for WITH.
UNLUCKY. Make the signs for MEDICINE and BAD.
UP. Point upward with right index.
US. Make the signs for ME, ALL.
UTE Indian. Make sign for INDIAN and for BLACK, and rub the face as in RED.

VACCINATE. Make the signs for WHITES, MEDICINE, MAN, and with extended
right index finger strike left arm between shoulder and elbow.

VIGILANT. Make sign for LOOK, pointing in different directions and moving hand
rapidly; then signs MUCH, SLEEP, NO.

VILLAGE. Make sign for TEEPEE, and for MANY.

WAGON (meaning: wheels). Hold hands, backs down, at equal distance in front of

body, four inches apart, index fingers curved, others and thumb closed; indicate

motion of wheels by making small circle with indexes.
WAGON (COVERED). Make the sign for WAGON; then hold both flat hands,

backs up, indexes touching, height of face, and sweep them out and down in a

curve to indicate wagon top.

WAGON-ROAD. Make the signs for ROAD and WAGON.
WAIT. Make sign for HALT, but more gently and not stopping abruptly. Repeat

gesture.
WALK (meaning: motion of feet). For a person, hold flat hands in front of body

equally advanced; move right to front, upwards and downwards describing^ an

oval circle; move left to front in same way; as left is brought down draw right

hand to rear and repeat first motion, thereby alternating the motions of the feet.

For an animal, close the hands and make same motions as above.
WANT (meaning, give me). Hold the right hand close to chin back to right, form an

unclosed circle with thumb and index, back of index at height of mouth, half inch

space between tips of index and thumb, plane of circle vertical; move hand in slight

curve downwards, outwards and upwards; turning hand by wrist action, ending

with little finger as high as index.
WAR. Make the sign for FIGHT.
WAR BONNET. Carry the flat hands from front to rear, close to sides of head,

fingers pointing upwards, palms toward head; then carry right hand from top of

head well down to rear of body.
WAR-CLUB. Show the size of war-club stone; denote rawhide covering of handle

by clasping left index with right hand; then strike to front and down with right

hand.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

Line drawing shows beginning and dotted outline shows end of movement of hands
Students must Compare Each Diagram with Explanation Found on Opposite Page

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE 61

WAR-DANCE. Make the signs for WAR, and DANCE.

WARRIOR. Make the signs for MAN, and WAR.

WASH. Make the sign for WATER; then by motions imitate the act of washing.

WASTE. See DESTROY.

WATCH. With thumb and index of left hand form a horizontal circle; then hold right
index over same and move tip around the indicated circle; make sign fpr LOOK
pointing at circle; make sign for KNOW, and for SUN all of which indicates size
of watch, movement of hands by looking at same you will know where the Sun is.

WATER (meaning: drinking out of palm of hand). Hold the cupped right hand, back
down, in front of and little above mouth; fingers pointing to left and upwards;
then move hand downwards, turning palm towards mouth. At end of RIVER or
LAKE some Indians make the sign of dipping a handful of water with right cupped
hand, held waist high.

WE. Make the signs for I or ME and ALL.

WEAK. Make signs for STRONG and NO.

WHEN. Make the sign for QUESTION, for HOW MANY, and indicate whether
SLEEPS, MOONS, or WINTERS.

WHERE (meaning: what point). Make the sign for QUESTION, then point with
right index in different directions.

WHIP. With closed right hand strike from front to right and rear, as though riding
a horse and whipping him with a quirt.

WHISKEY. Make the signs for FIRE and WATER.

WHITE. Make the sign for COLOR; then rub with tip of right index the small
segment at upper end of left thumb nail, or point to something white.

WHITES (meaning: cap wearers). Hold right hand to left of face on level of eyes,
back up, index pointing to left; draw hand over to right side, index finger passing
across above the eyes.

WHITE MAN. Make the sign for WHITES and for MAN.

WHY. Make the sign for INTERROGATE or QUESTION, but turn the hand very
slowly.

WICKEY-UP. Hold hands several inches apart in front of body, indexes extended
and lapping; from this position change the hands, back up, edges pointing to front
fingers separated and slightly curved, move hands downward on curve-

WIFE. Make the signs for FEMALE and MARRY.

WILD. Make the sign for BY ITSELF.

WILL (meaning: I will). Make the sign for PUSH.

WIND. Hold the hands with backs ^up, near body at height of shoulders, and with
wavy motion move the hands in direction of the wind.

WINTER. Hold up the closed hands in front of body, forearms vertical, hands several
inches apart; then give a shivering, tremulous motion to hands. With most Indians
a year is called a winter, or one cold.

WIPED OUT. See EXTERMINATE.

WISE (meaning: heart and head both good). Make the sign for HEART, touch fore-
head, and make sign for GOOD.

WITH. Hold flat left hand, back to left, in front; bring side of extended right index
against center of left palm, index pointing to front.

WOLF. Hold the right hand with palm outwards near right shoulder, first and second
fingers extended and separated and pointing up; move the hand several inches to
front and upwards.

WOMAN. Make the sign for FEMALE and indicate height.

WONDERFUL or MYSTERIOUS. Make the sign for MEDICINE.

WOOD. Make the signs for TREE and CHOP.

WOODPECKER. Make the sign for BIRD; then hold left forearm about vertical
in front of left shoulder; now bring partially compressed right hand and place it
near elbow of left forearm, right side; move hand with a jump to left side; then
to little higher up, showing manner of hopping around a tree; then lower left hand
and tap palm several times with tip of curved index of right hand.

WORK Bring flat hands in front of body edgewise, few inches apart, right hand
higher and back of left; then raise and lower the hands by wrist action, to indicate
working.

WOUND Hold right 1 hand in front of body; move hand briskly towards body, turn-
ing index finger to left or right so that it grazes surface of body.

62 INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE __

WRAP. Bring slightly compressed hands, backs outward, in front of body, backs of

fingers of right hand resting against palm of left, fingers horizontal; then move

hands around each other in rotary motion.
WRITE. Hold flat left hand, back to front and down, out in front of body, fingers

pointing to right; then as if with pencil between thumb and index of right hand,

make as though writing on left palm.

YEAR. Make the sign for WINTER, for this year add sign for NOW.

YELLOW. Make the sign for COLOR; then point to something Yellow.

YES (meaning: bowing the head and body). Hold right hand, back to right, in front
of right breast, height of shoulder, index extended and pointing upwards, other
fingers nearly closed, thumb resting on side of second finger; move the hand slightly
to left and a little downwards, at same time closing index over thumb.

YESTERDAY. Make sign for NIGHT; then, still holding left hand in position, sweep
the right upwards and to right in a semi-circle, until it is at same height as left
hand, terminating with back of hand down.

YOU. Point right 1 hand at person addressed.

YOUR or YOURS. Point to person indicated and make sign for POSSESSION.

ONE WAY TO TELL YOUR NAME AND WHERE YOU LIVE

The names of Indians were denoted by natural objects, birds, animals, etc., and were readily expressed
in gesture. The writer has been asked how he would express the name "John Smith" in sign language. It was
an Indian who suggested a good way whereby people of different tongues can tell each other their names and
where they live. This is by asking as follows: "What is your name? Where do you live? Write it." Which
in the sign language would be: QUESTION YOU CALLED, QUESTION YOU SIT, WRITE.

As practically everybody can read and write they can in this way introduce themselves, and, after this,
further conversation in sign is easy. This is of particular value to Boy Scouts of different tongues, as at
the Jamboree.

We know of many Boy Scouts who adopt Indian names, for use in their games, ceremonials, and
conx'ersation.

INDIAN MOONS OR MONTHS

This work would be incomplete without some reference and information regarding
the Indian "moons" or months.

We have approached this subject with hesitation, because the Indian moons cor-
respond only in a general way to our own months and with certain tribes the names vary
greatly.

The following moons, or months, are those adopted by the American Indian Asso-
ciation after careful study, and are approved as being most nearly correct by Dr. Charles
Eastman, Strong Wolf, Running Bear and other prominent Indians. Where two or
more names are given for the same month, we have selected the one which can be ges-
tured and pictured most easily, and is most generally used.

JANUARY. Snow Moon (or Cold Moon), make signs for MOON and SNOW.
FEBRUARY. Hunger Moon; make signs for MOON and HUNGRY.
MARCH. Crow Moon (Awaking Moon or Warm Moon); make signs for MOON,

BIRD and BLACK.

APRIL. Grass Moon (Geese Moon); make signs for MOON and GRASS.
MAY. Planting Moon (Flower Moon); make signs for MOON, DIG and GROW.
JUNE. Rose Moon (Buck Moon); make signs for MOON and ROSE.
JULY. Heat Moon (Blood Moon); make signs for MOON, SUN and HOT.
AUGUST. Thunder Moon (Sturgeon Moon); make signs for MOON and THUNDER.
SEPTEMBER. Hunting Moon (Corn Festival Moon); make signs for MOON and

OCTOBER. Falling Leaf Moon (Traveling Moon); make signs for MOON and LEAF,
with a falling motion.

NOVEMBER. Beaver Moon (Mad Moon); make signs for MOON and BEAVER.
DECEMBER. Long Night Moon; make signs for MOON, NIGHT, and LONG TIME.

NOTE: The meaning and derivation of our common month names may be of interest
for comparison: 1. January; Janus, a two-faced God. 2. February; To purify. 3. March;
Mars, God of War. 4. April; Aperio, to open. 5. May; Maia, Goddess of Growth.
6. June; Junms, a Roman Gentile name. 7. July; for Julius Caesar. 8. August- for
Augustus Caesar. 9. September; seventh month. 10. October; eighth month.' 11
November; ninth month. 12. December; tenth month.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE SIMPLIFIED 63

SIGN LANGUAGE SIMPLIFIED

The Indian Sign Language is the world's most easily learned language because it
is elemental, basic, logical, and the signs in general are what should properly be made to
illustrate the idea the language being largely idiomatic- conveying ideas.

When you beckon with your finger you are saying the word COME; when you
wave your hand outwards you say GO. When you point upwards with your index
finger you say UP. When you point downwards you say DOWN. When you elevate
the flat right hand, you say HIGH, and when you hold it down near the ground, you
say LOW.

All nations of earth have nodded the head for YES, and have shaken it for NO.
If you will nod the right index finger beside the head, you say YES; and if, waist high,
you simply turn the right hand over, you say NO. GOOD means "level with the heart,"
and, therefore, if you will swing the right flat hand out in a semi-circle from the heart
towards the right you say the word GOOD. BAD means "thrown away." Therefore,
the motion of expelling something downwards with the right hand 1 makes the word
BAD. When you point your right thumb at your breast, you say ME. When you
point your right index finger at the person you are with, you say YOU. When you
point the same finger at someone else in the party, you say HIM or HER.

When you point the separated first and second fingers of the right hand out in front
of the eyes, you say SEE or LOOK. When you pass the partly closed right hand down-
wards past the mouth, you say EAT or FOOD. When you elevate the cupped hand
near the mouth, you say DRINK; and when, waist high, you make as though dipping
a handful of something with cupped hand, you say WATER.

The flat hands passed alternately one beyond the other means WALK, and the
same sign made more rapidly means RUN. To incline the head to right, towards the
palms of both hands, means SLEEP, and to pass the flat hand slightly outwards from
the chin means SPEAK or TALK. To cup the right hand behind the right ear means
to LISTEN. The right index finger pointed upwards beside the face means MAN,
or "the upright one"; and to pass the slightly hooked fingers of the right hand down-
wards over the hair means WOMAN, the basic conception being "she combs her hair."
DAY means the opening up and NIGHT means the closing over, and the signs are
simple and logical. (Pages 19 and 39.)

The thumb and index finger of right hand held in an incomplete circle and pointed
at the sky means SUN. The same sign held flat near the waist means MONEY a
coin; the same sign with hand laid on the breast means a MEDAL, and if made against
the left shoulder means a BRAND, while if tipped to the mouth like a cup it means
WANT, or "I am thirsty for."

The fingers curved and pointing up, held near the ground, naturally means GRASS.
The same sign, waist high, means BRUSH, while one hand held out in front at height
of shoulder, fingers all pointing up, means a TREE, both hands held similarly means
a FOREST. The same two hands held close to the breast means PEOPLE. One fist
held up out in front of breast means a MOUNTAIN, while both fists means a chain of
MOUNTAINS. Counting is indicated by the fingers, starting with the little finger of
right hand.

As all articles and small qualifying adjectives are left entirely out this being a
skeleton language of ideas a smaller vocabulary or code is used, the verbs and nouns
being almost enough to convey the intelligence. Remember that 85% of all signs are
made with the right hand. I believe the foregoing forty words will prove my opening
statement that the language is entirely logical and elemental. I would suggest that you
go over each of these words carefully, by checking them against the illustrations and
their explanations in the book.

Splendid results in the study of sign have been attained by those who, as they go
along, occasionally have a session with someone else who is interested in sign. If you
are in scouting, you might start with a few available scouts or scout masters, otherwise
with a few friends, and meet with them once a week for a definite session for an hour or
two. You will be surprised at the way the interest and inquiry thus caused will increase

64 INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGESIMPLIFIED

your own knowledge, and how quickly the others will commence to bring out ideas that
will greatly help you. After one or two meetings of the little club, require everybody
to make up and bring to the next meeting some short phrases or sentences in the sign
language. Working carefully along these lines you will undoubtedly be gratified at the
advancement you will make.

TWO HUNDRED SIGNS IN MOST GENERAL USE

YES, NO, GOOD, BAD, COME, GO, WATER, EAT, DRINK, SEE, UP, DOWN,
HIGH, LOW, ALL, ME, YOU, HIM, ME-ALL (Us or We), YOU-ALL (Ye),
HIM-ALL (They), WALK, RUN, SLEEP, SMALL, FEW, BIG, BUY OR SELL,
EXCHANGE, TRADE, STOP, WAIT, HOUSE, TEEPEE, TEN, COUNTING,
QUESTION, WAGON, WANT, WRITING, READING, HUNT, SPEAK, LISTEN,
LIE, LOOK, LITTLE TALK, SPEECH, TREE, NOW, FOREST, MAN, WOMAN,
BOY, GIRL, WHITE MAN, NEGRO, INDIAN, HORSE, MEDICINE, CRAZY,
WORK, YEAR, STEAL, FISH, SNAKE, SMELL, BREAKFAST, DINNER, SUP-
PER, STRONG, BRAVE, HARD, PERHAPS, CONSIDER, MOTHER, FATHER,
MOUNTAIN, MOUNTAINS, HEAP, CALLED, TIME, LONG TIME, BEFORE.
AFTER, RIVER, NIGHT, DAY, COFFEE, LOVE, FOND, SUN, GOOD MORN-
ING, GOOD EVENING, GAP (Mountain), MANY TIMES, TOWN OR CITY,
EVERY LITTLE WHILE, PRISONER, WINTER OR YEAR, SIGN LANGUAGE,
MORNING, NOON, EVENING, ABUSE, ACROSS^ AFTERNOON, ALL GONE,
AMONG, ANGRY, ARROW, ASTONISH, BEAR, BEAVER, BESIDE, WITH, TO-
GETHER, BIRD, BLANKET, BOAT, BROOK, BROTHER, BUFFALO, CAMP,
CANNOT, CHEYENNE, CHIEF, COLD, COLOR, COUNCIL, CROW, CRY,
DANCE, DEER, DOG, DONE, EATEN ENOUGH, EFFORT, ELK, END,
ESCAPE, EXPLAIN, FIRE, FLAG, GIVE, GIVE ME, GRASS, GROW, HALF,
HALF BREED, HEART, HIDE, HOLE, HOW MANY, HUNGRY, JEALOUS,
KEEP, KNIFE, KNOW, LAKE, LAUGH, LEAF, MANY, MUCH, MEDAL,
MEMORY, METAL, MIRROR, MONEY, MOON, MOTOR CAR, MY OR MINE,
POSSESSION, NEZ PERCE, OLD, OWL, PAWNEE, PEOPLE, PIPE, POOR,
POOR IN FLESH, PORTRAIT, POWDER, PRAIRIE, PRIVATE TALK, PUSH,
RAIN, RATTLESNAKE, RED, RING, ROPE, SHARP, SICK, SILENT, SING,
SIOUX, SIT OR REMAIN, SNOW, SOLDIER, SPOTTED, STAR, STRIPED
SWIM, TASTE, THINK, THICK, THIN, TOBACCO, TOGETHER, UNDER-
STAND, WAR, BEYOND,

AN INDIAN BLESSING

May the Great Mystery make sunrise in your heart: GREAT MYSTERY WORK
SUNRISE YOUR HEART.

BOY SCOUT OATH EXPRESSED IN IDIOM

(The text of the oath is in lower case, the sign language version is in capitals.)

A i. I wil1 do m y es

UATH (God sees my hands, they are clean) I EFFORT _ WORK

to do my duty to God an( j mv CO untrv

GOOD-WITH-GOD WITH-MY-COUNTRY

^^ obey the scout law. To help other people at all times

OBEY-SCOUT-LAW, I-WORK-WITH-ALL-PEOPLE-OFTEN

To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake

I-KEEP-ME^STRONG
and morally straight.
HEARTGOOD.

EXAMPLES OF SENTENCE FORMATION

The following are a few examples of sentence formation, illustrating some of
the Indian idiomatic construction and forms of sentence construction generally. Cer-
tain liberties of modern usage have been taken, such as the word "supper", which an
old-time Indian would not have used. First we give the sentence with modern English
construction, carrying the idea to be conveyed. Then in rotation are shown the signs
to be made. Then in capitals we show the same thought, as interpreted in the idioms
of sign language.

What is your name ?

QUESTION - YOU - CALLED

I am hungry and want something to eat

I -HUNGRY - FOOD- WANT

Where u vour home.?

lam going home.

QUE5TION-YOU- POSSESSION -HOUSE

- GO - HOUSE

How old are you ?

Ijeel very sad.

QUESTION- HOW MANY-YOU -WINTER

c^g^'-- 3

-HEART-ON-THE-GROUND

The man became very old

I have noi seen you for a long time.

MAM- MUCH-OLD-AR RIVE -THERE

LONG TIME - 5EE - MOT

Where do i/oa lire ?

rift

^-^...

QUESTION - YOU - SIT

Have you. had your supper ?

Where is your horse?

~-<

QUE5TION-YOU -EAT- SUNSET

QUESTION-POSSESSION- HORSE

Turn to Pages 93, 94, 95 and 96 for Further Examples of Sentence Formation.

EXAMPLES OF SENTENCE FORMATION

Where are you. going {odea/?

QUE5TIOIN-YOU-GO- DAY -NOW

/ am going to make camp.

- MAKE -CAMP

V/hatdoyoa do at camp?.

I build a fire.

QUE5TION-YOU-WORK-CAMP

/**?//
sjff

I - MAKE - FIRE

I make coffee .

/ set up a tent.

I - MAKE - COFFEE

- ARISE - TEEPEE

/ chop wood .

I make -supper.

I -CHOP- WOOD

I-MAKE-EAT-5UN5ET

I go walking.
- GO- WALK

I go catck fish.

I - GO-TAKE-FISH

/ go swtmmmg.

I - GO - 5WIM

/ go hunting.

-GO - HUNT

/ see deer, bear, wolf.

/ have a good time.

I - SEE- DEER;BEAR-,WOLF

I-P055E55IOM-HEART-5UMRI5E

Turn to Pages 93, 94, 95 and 96 for Further Examples of Sentence Formation.

EXAMPLES OF SENTENCE FORMATION

Who u/as that Indian /sans you with to day.
mm ~-^%^ /B^/ -\^ ^H

QUESTION INDIAN I SEE YOU WITH DAY NOW

his name is Little Beaver , he is a brwe man.

ME CALLED LITTLE BEAVER HE HEART STRONG

/ understand Two Owls lost a good horse some time ago.

KNOW TWO OWLS GOOD HORSE GO HIDE LONGTIME

/ went io the mountains with Big Bear and shoi 5 deer.

_ -^ .oi

i-3$

I GO MOUNTAINS WITH BIG BEAR SHOOT 5 DEER

Did you. go over the Big Elk river fo hunt.

QUESTION YOU GO ACR05S BIG ELK RIVER HUNT

Yes we swam iwo of oar hones across the river.

YE5 ME ALL 5WIH 2 HORSE ACROSS RIVER

We met many Jrbux /ndians in Council.

ME ALL~HEET MANY SIOUX INDIANS SIT COUNCIL

Turn to Pages 93, 94, 95 and 96 for Further Examples of Sentence Formation.

68 INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE SYNONYMS

SYNONYMS

Words of Similar Meaning to Basic Word Signs Contained in the Foregoing Work

ABANDONED divorced, thrown away, displaced, deserted, forsaken.

ABOARD sitting down, on top of.

ABUSE Scold, ill-treat, upbraid, defame, detract.

ACCOMPANY with, escort.

ACCOST hail, salute, interrogate.

ACHE physicial pain, sick.

ACROSS on the other side of, to cross, to pass over.

ADD join, increase, put to.

ADVANCE move, march.

ADVANCE GUARD scout, before, ahead, toremost, to be in front.

AFRAID shrink from, cowardly, suspicious, temerity, dread, nervous, fearful.

AFRAID OF NO ONE brave, courageous, lion-hearted, fearless.

AFTER since, by and by, later.

AID assist, counsel, advice, help.

AIM, TO point at.

ALIGHT dismount.

ALIKE same, even.

ALIVE living, above ground, breathing.

ALL GONE wiped out, consumed.

ALLIANCE co-operation, confederacy, league.

AMBITIOUS aspire after, long for, desire, crave.

AMONG in the midst of, commingle.

ANCESTORS progenitors, forefathers.

ANGRY mad, rageful, savage, quarrelsome, ill-tempered, passionate.

ANNIHILATE destroy.

ANNOY disturb, agitate, trouble.

APPAREL dress, clothing.

ARISE start up, rise.

ARRANGE plan, settle, adjust.

ARREST seize.

ARRIVE HERE reach here, come to a place, return

ASCEND climb.

ASHAMED humbled, abashed, diffident, mortified.

ASTONISH surprise, astound, awe.

ASTRAY lost, deceived, wander.

ATTACK assault, storm, fall upon, march against, advance against, fire at.

ATTEMPT try, endeavor, strive.

AVOID shun, pass by, elude.

BACON fat, greasy.

BAD mean, wrong, vile, detestable.

BARRACKS soldiers' house.

BASHFUL diffident, modest, youthful, shy, timid.

BASIN buffalo-wallow.

BATTLE volley firing, engagement.

BEAUTIFUL good face, fine, handsome, pretty.

BEFORE (in time) prior to, previously, anterior.

BELOW beneath, under.

BET wager, gamble, raffle, stake.

BEYOND other side of.

BIG great, wide, large, broad.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGESYNONYMS 69

BITTER unpalatable, unsavory, nasty, ill-flavored, sour.

BLESS YOU thank, pray for, gratitude.

BOIL, TO bubble, stew, cook.

BRAND, TO mark, figure.

BRAVE fearless, daring, bold, heroic.

BREAK sunder, rend.

BRING fetch.

BROAD wide.

BROOK small stream.

BURN consume.

BURY rite, sepulture.

BUY purchase, procure, bargain.

BY AND BY wait.

CACHE conceal, hide away.

CALL to name, known as, summon, cry out, invite.

CAMP village, bivouac.

CANDID sincere, honorable, frank, open, straightforward, undisguised.

CANNOT impossible, will not do, beyond power.

CANYON gorge, defile, chasm, gap.

CHARGE assault, attack, onslaught, storm.

CHEAT steal, fraud, deceit.

CHIEF leader, headman, partisan, great, distinguished, renowned, famous.

CHILD youth, progeny, issue, offspring.

CHOP cut up, hew, divide.

CLOSE near, internate, compact, compress.

COLD chill, frigid.

COLOR tinge, hue, stain.

COME approach, draw near.

COMMENCE begin.

CONCEAL cover, disguise, secrete, hide.

CORRAL enclosure.

OOUNCIL^-meeting.

COUNT numeration.

COWARD poltroon, dastard.

CRAZY mad, foolish, doting, flighty.

CROSS sulky, ill-tempered.

CROSS (to) ford, go over.

CRY shed tears, desire, suffer.

CUNNING subtle, sly, wily.

DECEIVE lead astray.

DEFAME slander, villify.

DEFY hatred, abhorance, defiance, threaten.

DESTROY waste, demolish.

DIE expire, depart.

DISGUST weary, dislike.

DISTANT remote, far away.

DISTRIBUTE give, divide.

DIVE plunge.

DO work, act, attend to.

DOCTOR medicine-man, physician, priest, juggler.

DRESS apparel, clothing.

DUMB mute, silent, still.

EFFORT trial, attempt, essay.
ELOPE steal.

70 INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE SYNONYMS

END finish, close, stop.
ENEMY foe.
EQUAL same, even.
ESCAPE elude, evade.

EXCHANGE trade, barter, bargain, purchase, sell, dispose of, traffic.
EXTERMINATE destroy, wipe out, eradicate, consume, sweep away, ravage, annihi-
late, extinguish.

FAME renowned, celebrated.

FAST swift, pass by.

FEAST meal, repast

FEW' compressed, close, crowded, near together.

FIGHT skirmish, outbreak, battle, encounter.

FINISHED ended, done.

FIX settle, arrange, determine.

FOND love, regard, liking.

FOOL stupid, unwise, indiscreet, rash, silly.

FOREST timber.

FORGET lost.

FORT barracks, post, garrison.

FRAGRANT perfume, sweet-smelling, balmy.

FRIEND companion, comrade, partner.

GALLOP lope, canter, ride.

GAP mountain pass, depression, defile, ravine.

GENEROUS good-hearted, big-hearted, liberal, hospitable, noble.

GIVE grant, bestow.

GLAD heart good.

GLOOMY sad.

GO depart, leave.

GOD mystery, medicine.

GRAVE tomb, burial-place.

GREAT wide, broad, large.

HAIL ice, sleet.

HALT stop, pause, stand still.

HANG (to) suspend, pendant from.

HARD difficult, firm, brave, unfeeling, inexorable.

HEAP mound.

H EAR attention.

HEAVY weighty.

HELP work with, assist, support.

HIDE (to) secretly, privately, confidentially, lost, hidden away.

HOLD detain, stop, limit, keep, retain.

HOMELY bad face.

HUNT search, look for.

HURRY hasten, expedite.

IMPOSSIBLE cannot.

IMPRISON confine, lock up, bind.

INCREASE augment.

INFERIOR lower, behind, minor, subordinate, secondary.

INJURE harm, hurt.

INTERROGATE question, attract attention, ask, inquire, examine.

JEALOUS envious.

JOKE sport.

JOYOUS glad, light-hearted.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE SYNONYMS 71

KEEP remember, hold on to, retain, guard, keep close, near.
KEEP QUIET fear not, quiet down.
KNOW understand, comprehend.

LARGE great, capacious.

LAST hindmost.

LIE to mistake, invent, false, fabrication, fiction.

LIKE same, even, similar, resemble.

LISTEN hear, pay attention to.

LITTLE minute.

LIVE reside, dwell, exist.

LONG TIME always.

LOOK inspect, see, view, behold.

LOVE esteem, liking, affection.

MANY crowd, numerous, host, much.
MANY TIMES often, repeat.

MEAN small-hearted, stingy, selfish, miserly, penurious, shabby, greedy, rapacious,
sordid, niggardly, low.

MEDICINE mysterious, unknown, holiness, luck, vision, dream, fortune, chance.
MEDICINE-MAN physician, prophet, juggler, dreamer, priest, magician, conjurer,

seer, wizard, soothsayer, charmer.
MEET (to) come together.
MEMORY heart knows.
METAL hard.
MIGRATE move.
MINGLE mix.

MISLEAD deceive, lead astray.
MISS (to) pass by,
MIX blend, mingle.
MONEY currency, cash, specie.
MOURN grieve, cry for, lament, bewail
MOVE march

NAME called, cognomen.

NEAR close by, contiguous, adjacent.

NOTIFY tell, talk to.

NOW present time, today.

OATH Vow, to swear.

OBEY listen to, pay attention to.

OLD decrepit, aged, infirm.

PACK place.

PARADE troops.

PART half.

PARTNER brother, comrade.

PAYMASTER money chief.

PEACE truce.

PEAK apex, summit, tip, crest.

PEOPLE persons.

PERHAPS to be possible, may be, doubtful, contingent.

PICKET fasten.

PITY (to pity some one else) sympathize, compassion, mercy, tender.

PLANT to farm.

POOR poverty, indigence, want, distress, destitute, pinched.

POOR emaciated, weak, sinewless, wasted, leanness, puny, thin, starved, shrunk, skinny.

POSSESSION ownership.

72 INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGESYNONYMS

PRAIRIE plains.

PRAY supplicate, ask, beg, request, petition, demand, implore, entreat, address, impor-
tune.

PRIVATE secretly, confidentially, in confidence, sacredly.
PROUD vain, conceited.
PUSH must, try.

QUARREL scold, disputatious.
QUIET DOWN subdue, silence.

RACE to run, contest.

RAPIDS swift-flowing waters.

RASH foolish, brave, reckless, careless, adventurous

REACH arrive there.

RECOVER restore.

REMAIN stay.

REMEMBER hold on to.

RESTRAIN hold, confine, restrict.

RETREAT flee from, escape.

RING finger ornament.

RISING MAN chief.

RIVER stream.

ROAD trail, way, route, pack, course.

ROCK hard.

ROPE cord, line.

RUN AGAINST stumble.

SACRED divine, holy, mysterious.

SAD mournful, dejected, disappointed.

SADDLE (to) to pack.

SAME equal.

SAW cut.

SCOLD quarrel, find fault with.

SCOUT advance-guard, picket, sentinel.

SCOUT (to) search, watch, to trail, follow, hunt.

SEARCH examine, scrutiny.

SEE look.

SEIZE grasp, imprison, find.

SEPARATE diverge, branch off, to part, wander from.

SEW fasten, stitch, tack.

SHARP cutting edge, edge-tool.

SHAWL wrap.

SHEEP big-horn.

SHOOT fire at, discharge.

SICK ill, infirm, indisposed, suffer, diseased.

SILENT dumb, close one's mouth, taciturn.

SINCE after.

SIT here, remain, stay, wait, rest.

SLEEP rest, lie down.

SLOW loiter, behindhand.

SMALL short, low.

SMOOTH even, level.

SOFT miry.

SOUR acid, tart.

SPEAK talk, tell, say, relate.

SPY scout, hunt, look.

STINGY mean, penurious.

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGESYNONYMS 73

STOP halt, wait.

STRAIGHT true, direct

STRONG brave, vigorous, hearty, powerful.

SUPERIOR greater, higher, above.

SURROUND encircle, concentrate.

TAKE appropriate, capture, catch, dispossess, confiscate, seize.

TALK converse, speak, tell.

TASTE flavor, sapidity.

TATTOO mark.

TEPEE lodge, wigwam, tent.

THERE at that place.

THINK believe, opine, look upon, regard.

THREAD line.

TIMBER forest, trees.

TIRED weary, fatigued, postrated, faint, exhausted, overtasked.

TRACK footprint.

TRADER storekeeper, salesman.

TRAIL (to) follow, search, look for, pursue, hunt.

TROUBLE anxious, disturbed, restless, annoyed.

TRUE straightforward, honest, reliable, candid.

UGLY bad face, ill-favored, repulsive.
UNCERTAIN doubtful, precarious.
UND ERSTAND know.
UNLUCKY unfortunate, bad.

VIGILANT attention, heedful, watchful.
VILLAGE camp, town.

WANT wish, desire.

WATCH time-piece.

WEAK tired, feeble.

WHEN at what time.

WHERE at what place.

WHISKEY liquor.

WHITES people not indigenous to America.

WICKEY-UP temporary shelter,

WIPED OUT exterminated.

WISE shrewd, sagacious, sharp, clever, keen, sound, long-headed.

WRAP fold, pack up.

LOCATION OF EAST AND WEST IN SIGN LANGUAGE

In determining the points of the compass, the Indian associates his left side with the
East, his right side with the West. This is explained by Garrick Mallery as follows:

"A gesture sign for sunrise, morning, is: Forefinger of right hand crooked in incom-
plete circle and pointed or extended to the left, then slightly elevated. In this connection
it may be noted that when the gesture is carefully made in open country the pointing
would generally be to the East, and the body turned so that its left would be in that
direction. In a room in a city, or under circumstances where the points of the compass
are not clearly understood, the left side supposes the East, and the gestures relating to
sun, day, etc., are made with such reference."

74 SIOUX AND OJIBWAY PICTOGRAPHY

PICTOGRAPHY AND IDEOGRAPHY OF THE

SIOUX AND OJIBWAY TRIBES OF

NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS

It is hoped that the following very brief treatise on the Pictographic writing of the
American Indians, will excite interest in that branch of study by all boys and girls and
others who are interested in anthropological research.

The attentions and investigations of the author have been for a long time devoted
to pictography and to sign language, two studies so closely connected that neither can
be successfully pursued to the exclusion of the other.

The depiction of gesture and posture signs is considered in more than a general
way, showing the intimate relation between a thought as expressed without words by
signs, and a thought expressed without words by pictures, sometimes corresponding to
those signs.

Picture writing is a mode of expressing thoughts, or noting facts, by marks. It is
one distinctive form of thought writing without reference to sound gesture language
being the earlier form. Picture writing should be studied as a phase in the evolution
of human culture.

While not specifically reported in history it is thought from general evidence that
picture writing preceded and generated the graphic systems of Egypt, Assyria and
China, but in North America its use is still current. It can be studied here without in-
ference or hypothesis, in actual existence, as applied to records and communications.
In this connection it should be noted that picture writing is found in sustained vigor
on this continent the same continent where sign language has prevailed and has con-
tinued in active operation to an extent historically unknown in other parts of the world.

Petroglyphs, or rock carvings, are most frequently found in those parts of the
world which are still, or recently have been, inhabited by savage or barbarian tribes,
who, when questioned about the authorship of rock drawings, generally attributed them
to supernatural beings. Man has invariably attributed to supernatural action whatever
he did not understand.

Authorities are disagreed as to whether sign language, which is closely connected
with picture writing, preceded articulate speech. It is sufficient to admit the undoubted
antiquity of thought writing in both its forms.

Investigation has proven the interesting psychologic fact that primitive or at least
very ancient man made the same figures in widely separated regions, though it is not
established that the same figures had a common significance. The modern specimens
of picture writing shown on skins, bark and pottery, are far more readily interpreted
than those on rocks, and have already afforded verification as to points of history, re-
ligion, customs and other details. American pictographs are not to be regarded as
mere curiosities, but rather as representing the only intellectual remains of the early
inhabitants, and bearing significantly upon the evolution of the human mind.

A knowledge of Indian customs, costumes, histories and traditions is, of course,
essential to the understanding of their drawings. It is probable that many were in-
tended to commemorate events which to their authors were of moment, but would be
of little importance as history.

Though the picture writings do not, and probably never will, disclose the kind of in-
formation hoped for by some enthusiasts, they surely are valuable in marking the steps
in one period of human evolution, and in presenting evidence of man's early practices.
The word signs presented in this work are of both ancient and modern American
origin, and found either as petroglyphs, or rock carvings; petrographs, or rock writings;
or as pictographs or writings on skins, bark, pottery, etc.

Petroglyphs and pictographs have been found and catalogued from the pyramids
of Egypt to India, from Australia to Brazil, from Japan to Scotland, and in Mexico,

SIOUX AND OJIBWAY PICTOGRAPHY 75

and in many cases have handed down important traditional history of the times and
peoples represented.

More distinctive examples of evolution in ideography and in other details of pic-
ture writing are found still extant among the Dakota (or Sioux) Indians, than among
any other North American tribes.

The pictographic symbols used in this codification are taken from some of the most
important known pictographs of the North American Indians. The classification and
correlation of the matter collected has required more effort than is apparent, because the
sources of information are so meager.

The more modern forms are explained by Indians who have kept up the pictographic
practice, and these frequently throw light upon the more ancient.

This simple work is prepared for those men who desire brief, preliminary informa-
tion on the subject, and does not assume to be anything further than that. During a
series of lectures given by the author on sign language and pictography he was greatly
impressed with the general lack of any knowledge on the subject, but most of all with
the deep and kindly interest displayed by thousands of people in picture writing, which
suggested the advisability of including a brief outline of some of the most generally
used symbols.

Again, it is done in the hope that it will prove of interest and value to the youth
of the United States, and develop in them an earnest desire for further study and re-
search along this line.

Many of the pictographs herein contained are from the 10th annual report of the
Bureau of American Ethnology, by Lieut-Col. Garrick Mallery, 1888, and from his-
torical information of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, prepared by Henry R. Schoolcraft,
1851, and from other similar authoritative sources.

THE AUTHOR.

Longfellow was deeply interested in pictography, and gave the best and briefest
description of nine symbols that has ever been compiled. It is given in the following
verse from Hiawatha.

"For the earth he drew a straight line,
For the sky a bow above it;
White the space between for day-time,
Filled with little stars for night-time;
On the left a point for sunrise,
On the right a point for sunset,
On the top a point for noontide,
And for rain and cloudy weather
Waving lines descending from it."

There is no doubt but, that gesture language has had an immense use and value in
the past. The question now arises as to whether or not its usefulness is gone. Has man-
kind so far advanced that he can entirely disregard the refinements of primitive man? As
an argument to the contrary we might offer the following:

When the obelisk of Luxor was installed in Paris, and the best minds of that modern
nation were called on to determine in what manner they should inscribe the record of the
Paris of today, did they do it in the current French language? Did they do it in Greek
or Latin? No, they inscribed it in primitive pictography, so that future generations
countless thousands of years from now, when the French and Greek and Latin lan-
guages are gone and forgotten, can readily read the inscriptions made at this time.

PICTOGRAPHS AND IDEOGRAPHS

American

Antelope

Arrow

T 1

Bad

Bear dlive

Bear dead

Bear sad hedr

Bear glad

Bedver

Bedver in bis

BedverTdii

Big V&i

'oice

Bird TracJc

BlaclcDeer

Headless Bodies

Bo wand Arrow

Bo'

Brother,

BufEato

White Buffalo

Indian Camp

Cdnoe

Canoe and warriors

Cheyenne

Cloud

Cold and Snow

Come or Call for

Plenfy Corn

ougJh

row

Crow

Dance

Council

Crane

)c=Lkoia or Sioux

)dkotd5

beyennes
Peace

Deer

Death

PICTOGRAPHS AND IDEOGRAPHS

Deer , Moose

Direction

Discovery

Duck

Eagle

Eagle Tail

Encampment

Evening 1

Famine

Fear

Fire

Camp Fire

Grave Flag

Plenfy Foodi

Fort

Fox

Blcack Fox

Froze to Death

Girl

Goods

Goose

Grasp

Gun

White Hawk

Hard

Hear

Hil:

Hor^e

Spotted Horse

o n A n
n n n o

Horse Tracks

Hungry

Stole Horses

Fast Horse

RopesHorses*

PICTOGRAPHS AND IDEOGRAPHS

Hunt

A A

Island

Knife

Lake

Wild Horse

Leggings

Life

LigMning

Lynx

Man on horse back

Man holding gu

Man

\ t

Tall wMe man

Wise Man

Man Grieve.5

Man Jnolding bow

Man dt5dbled

Mdnddn

Measlea

Medicine Man

Medicine leepee

Medicine Loddb

Medicine Man

Pleniy

Moon, night .sun

W~n

A
A

Morning. 5unr i se

Moose

Mountain

Negation

NigW:

Noon

Omaha Induar

Old

PICTOGRAPHS AND IDEOGRAPHS

Making Pedce

Pipe

Thunder Pipe

Medicinal Plants

Porcupine

Power

Prisoners

JdckRdbbil:

fftTfHfo

Pain and Cloudy

Ran

Rattle Snake

Rest-

River

River Fight

River Flood

Road

See

Shell

Mountain Goat-

5ky

Smallpox

Snake

Deep SDOW

Socicability

Soldier

Spotted Face

Spirit-

Bad SpintMedicme

Great* Spirit
Everywhere

Storm and Windy

It StruJc

i- Starvation"

PICTOGRAPHS AND IDEOGRAPHS

5unrise

5 unset

5un

Swallow

o o

Talk

Talk together

Teepee ^l-^- 1
Man Reached!

Teepee

Thirty

Thunder bird

Tree

Same Tn be

Track

Trade

Treaty

Tomahawk

Top Man

Three Years

Wading Birds

Walked, passed

War Bonnet

ing WdrBrty

War

Wear

Water Carrier

Calling for Rain

Weather Clear

WealLer 5tormy

Whirlwind

Horse
(White Mans)

White Beaver

White Hawk

White Man

Whooping Cough

Wind

Wolf

Woman

Winler

PICTOGRAPHS AND IDEOGRAPHS

CactlLS

all

Canyon

Christian

Corn

Dead

Drum and^tick

Drurrutick

Earth Lodge

Geese

w tf ;///////

Grass

Stone Hammer

I did it.

(in

Hidden ,OI)3curft

House,

I or Me

Inspired

Meteor.

Moon (new Hung^

Moon (reached half]

MOOTX (full)

Mouse

Old.

Otter.

Prayer.

Prisoner,

moon

sun

Singing

Snow.

Rising 3un.

Supplication

Talk ( intense).

Thunder Bird

Travoia.

Old Tree

Turkey

Turtle.

Walk.

War.

Wood-5,

PICTOGRAPHS AND IDEOGRAPHS

Ho IcUtte Arrows

Little Dog

Hig.h Eagle

Caught tine E nemy

Spotted Elk

ief. .Standing Bear

Drags the Rope

Bi/ Chief

Swimming 5

Loud Talker

lakes Prisoner

The above twelve pictographs represent proper names of Indians.

LvtHeEik_ size
15 indicdted by the
relative proportion.

Food was scarce
dnd tiiey had to
lixre on acorns
Cloud Shields winter
count for year 1787

Your own tongue

kill you !!

Bitter words denoted
by an arrow pointed
towards himself.

-o-oo-

Two ways of
expressing 1 lime.
A circle represents
one yedr, edoh device
represents 3

PICTOGRAPHIC STORIES

SNOW

MOON

January

HUNGER

MOON

February

CROW
MOON

Marck

GRA55
MOON

April

PLANTING
MOON

May

ROSE
MOON

June

MEAT

MOON

July

THUNDER
MOON
Augush

HUNTING
MOON

vSeptember

FALLING LEAF
MOON
Ociober

BEAVER

MOON
November

LONG NIGHT

MOON

December

A PICTOGRAPHIC STORY FOR OUR YOUNG FRIENDS

Here is a story that might be entitled, "Sioux Bros., Arrow Makers." It is told
in the pictography of the Sioux and Ojibways.

To read this story, which is written on a hide, the reader begins in the center and
reads to the left, following the circular course to the end.

This story begins with the two men, who by virtue of the connecting line between
them, are brothers. Followed by an Indian and an arrow, they are arrow makers.

Next conies a series of lines illustrating tracks; so they "make tracks,"* or "go"
to those three peaks which are obviously mountains. The head with the line going
from the eye indicates that they are looking. Looking for what? For arrow head,
or by implication, for material with which to make arrow heads. The story so- far,
therefore, would read:

"Two brothers, Indian arrow makers, went to the mountains to look for material
for arrows."

It is implied that they found the needed rock, for the story goes on to say they
built a fire those three crossed sticks with flame about them, on the mountain to
heat the rock. Then the figure of the man with the pail in his hand indicates that they
poured water on the rock.

The next symbol is a "cache" a mound or hiding place in which many -things
are kept. This symbol is used to indicate "many." On heating the rock it broke up so
they could get at the unweathered or underlying flint. The story therefore continues:

"They found a flint outcrop, heated the. rock, poured water on it and thereby removed
the weathered outer layer. They then obtained many pieces of good flint, which they
made into arrowheads."

"They found a flint-rock, lit a big fire, heated the rock, carried water and poured
it on the rock, and it burst into many pieces suitable for arrowmaking."

Then comes the sign indicating "to see," with the line pointing at a tree (from
which they could obtain wood for arrows). Then follows an arrow pointing to an
eagle, indicating that they then shot an eagle, which they killed for the eagle Is
repeated, lying on its side. In others words, "They shot and killed an eagle to
obtain feathers for the arrows."

After this, they "make tracks'" again, and come to a lake, in which they catch a
fish. The figure of the man with his hand to his mouth tells that they ate the fish.
Again they "make tracks'* until they come to their home, or teepee. Freely trans-

PICTOGRAPHIC STORIES

lated, "They started for home and came to a lake where they caught a fish, and, after
eating it, they went on until they reached home."'

Next we see two Indians, one of them a chief, as indicated by the feather in his
hair, surrounded by a lot of lines. These lines are other Indians sitting in a circle,
and the whole is the picture of a council. The. next pictures tell the reason for the
council; a Cheyenne (Cheyennes are "finger choppers") with a lariat, a horse arid a
number of horse hoofs, indicates that a Cheyenne had stolen some of their horses.

Three lines followed by a sun indicates that the council lasted three days, after
which they joined hands made peace and smoked the pipe of peace. The story
therefore concludes:

"They found a council in session on account of trouble with the Cheyennes, due
to the fact that a Cheyenne had stolen some of their horses. The council was held
for three days, and resulted in their making peace with the Cheyennes, after which
they smoked the pipe of peace and everybody was happy."

PICTOGRAPHIC STORIES

The characters in these pictographic stories are arranged in a spiral formation, the
course of the spiral being from right to left, starting from right center and reading back-
wards. This form is used in Lone Dogs' Winter Count and certain other famous Sioux
documents.

Interpretation of Above Pictographic Story

An Indian trader by the name of Little Crow went on a journey. He traveled for
three nights until he came to a river. The reason he traveled at night was because he
was in enemy country. At the river he secured a canoe, camped there that evening,
and at sunrise the next morning started down the river and traveled two suns (days).
He now traveled in daytime, because he was in friendly territory. He was an Indian
trader in shells, which were used for wampum and ornamentation. At the end of the
fifth day's travel he reached the village where the shells were obtainable. He rested
there for three days in conference with the chief, and as a result he traded for a large
amount of shells, and at sunrise on the fourth day he loaded his canoe and started down
the river and traveled for two days. On the second day a storm came up, with rain
and lightning. He saw the lightning strike a tree and set it afire. As a result of the
storm he became sick, so he searched and found some medicinal plants and waited
there a couple of days until he felt better. He then traveled at night and hid away in
the day time. He knew that the country abounded in game because he heard foxes
and wolves. He finally reached home, though some days late. Twenty braves of the
tribe came out to meet him, including their chief, Standing Bean Their hearts were
glad as a result of his safe and successful trip, and they all had a very sociable time.

PICTOGRAPHIC STORIES

Interpretation of Above Pictographic Story

An Indian and his wife had a quarrel; he wanted to go hunting and she did not
want him to go. He gave the sign of negation, would not do what she wanted, and he
took his bow and arrows and started into the forest A snow storm came upon him and
he looked for shelter. He saw two teepees, went over to them, but found that they
contained two people who were sick, in one teepee a boy with the measles, in the other
teepee a man with the smallpox. He ran away as fast as he could and shortly came to
a river. He saw some fish in the river, so he caught a fish, ate it, and rested there for
two days. After that he started out again and saw a bear. He shot and killed the bear
and had quite a feast. Then he started on again and saw an Indian village, but as they
proved to be enemies he ran away until he came to a little lake. While walking around
the lake he saw a deer. He shot and killed it and dragged it home to his teepee, to his
wife and his little boy.

Death of an animal is indicated by the animal being shown in an inverted position,
viz. upside down.

In case of a deer being shown by a set of deer horns, reverse the horns to represent
death. Where a bear is shown by the bear's paw, reverse the paw with claws up to
represent death.

In case of a person, have animal representing family totem shown upside down to
represent death.

PICTOGRAPHIC STORIES

Interpretation of Above Pictographic Story

Two brothers, one of them a chief, by the names of Spotted Elk and White Beaver,
together with their tribe, experienced a severe winter of deep snow and stormy weather,
and three members of the same tribe froze to death. They suffered a famine and their
wives were very hungry and their little girl, two years old, had the whooping cough.
They sent for the Medicine Man but he did no good and the little girl died. Everybody
grieved greatly. Then the top man of the tribe had a conference with the wise man of
the village who told them that the sun would soon come out, the weather would get
warm, the rivers would run and the buffalo would come near to their camp and they
would have plenty of food.

What he said came true and in three days the lookout on the hill signaled that he
had discovered the buffalo. They secured a large quantity of meat which they cured on
the drying poles and were quite happy, but they did not forget to place a flag of sorrow
on the little girl's grave.

PICTOGRAPHIC STORIES

Interpretation of Above Pictographic Story

During the great famine of 1787 the Indians were forced, for a time, to live on acorns,
so a great many Sioux, in desperation, organized a big hunt and started out headed by
their Chief, White Bear. The weather was clear, fine hunting weather. The first night
out they camped by a river. The Chief was filled by fear of famine to his tribe, and his
heart was very sad. He therefore called his council together and told them they must
go to the Medicine Lodge and make Hunting Medicine for two days and nights. At
the end of that time a friendly Cheyenne Indian by the name of Drags-the-Rope came
into camp and said that he had seen a great many antelope. They believed him and a
large party went out on the hunt and secured a large amount of antelope meat. The
Chief, however, was disabled. A wild horse was dragging a rope which caught him, but
he drew his knife and cut the rope and was saved, and all the tribe was happy. They
went back to the village and took the antelope meat along. Then they all went to the
Medicine Lodge and gave thanks for the successful hunt.

PICTOGRAPHIC STORIES

PICTOGRAPHIC CORRESPONDENCE OF TODAY

Some time ago Keesakawasis, Chief Day Child, of the Rocky Boy Tribe of
Chippewa Indians, located at Rocky Boy, Montana, through his talented secretary
Sitting Eagle, wrote to the author regarding his endeavors to trace certain records
with reference to the lost tribe of Chippewas of which his people are descendants. As
Keesakawasis himself can neither speak nor write English, and as the writer has no
knowledge of Chippewa, it became necessary for us to communicate by means of
Indian pictography, which proved to be quite satisfactory. The first letter and its
interpretation follows:

In the upper left hand corner is the date, Feb. IS, indicated as the 15th day of
the hunger moon. Then comes the chiefs name; the Indian with the feather is the
chief, and the next two signs are "day" and "child". A careful translation of the letter
is as follows:

"I see your talking leaf and my heart is big for you. I pray the great mystery
that I may travel to your teepee, and that we may have a long talk together as brothers.
(The two figures at the right of the teepee are having the long talk, the chief desig-
nated by his symbol, Tomkins by the hat which makes him a white man. The line
joining them at the bottom makes them brothers.) The Indian sky is everywhere
overcast with clouds. The old Indian trail was good. The Chief and his white brother
will travel the ancient path together toward the light. I look eagerly for your pictured
message of reply.

(Signed) SUNKA WAKAN WAHTOGLA".

Keesakawasis was delighted to find that he had a white brother to whom he could
write his ancient pictorial language. He is over 70 years old but still in the full
possession of his faculties, and actively heads the tribe of which he is a member.
To his Sioux brothers William Tomkins has been known for many years as Sunka
Wakan Wahtogla, or Wild Horse. The text of the Chief's letter of reply and its
interpretation follows:

"In the 14th day of the Frog Moon, Day Child writes to his friend Wild Horse,
who is a wise man. The winter was cold and stormy from the Frost Moon. The Fog
Moon there was much snow and cold, and in our teepees we ^ere hungry. Now it
is the Frog Moon and the river runs and we again have a little meat. I look for
the coming of my friend Wild Horse when we can sit in my teepee, talk and smoke much
kinni kinnick. Sitting Eagle helps me write. Your friend DAY CHILD."

SIGN LANGUAGE AND PICTOGRAPHY

Brothers

Come

('enf/or

anc('enorm

Day

Deer

inininniini

hea

Grass

Heocrt-

h angry

Many -(heap)

Moorx

Moun

1 11 1 1 mil

Olcx

Reocce

Rain.

Snake

s /

Talk

Trade

Tree

SIGN LANGUAGE AND PICTOGRAPHY 91

CO-RELATING SIGN LANGUAGE AND PICTOGRAPHY

All Indian language is highly figurative and poetical compared to ours, resembling
the Chinese in its idiomatic construction, but I know of nothing that gives so complete
an insight into the peculiarities of Indian thought and expression as does a thorough
study of their universal sign language.

Whatever form of picture writing Indians adopt, it must necessarily be based upon
the same general sequence of thought as their spoken or gestured language, and in this
way alone sign language becomes of prime importance in all pictographic study.

Whether there is any direct connection between the gestured and pictured signs
themselves is a question that has been largely ignored, the general presumption probably
being that there is little if any relation between the two. With the exception of Garrick
Mallery's monograph very little if any effort seems to have been made to correlate the
Indian Sign Language and Indian Pictography. Perhaps the question seems too remote
to merit serious consideration. But if something could be done to prove such a connec-
tion it would be of the greatest importance in view of the fact that so little is known of
pre-Columbian America.

It is evident that the Indian pictographs and the more ancient rock carvings are the
most important basis we have for a comparison of the life and habits of past races of
early man in America with the Indians of today.

Some of the pictographic symbols which have been used for long periods of time by
the Sioux and Ojibway tribes seem to indicate that further research may show a definite
relationship between the gestured and written signs.

A few of the most striking examples supporting this assumption are shown on page
eighty-six.

The above is offered for the consideration of our readers, and we hope may point the
way to still more important findings in this direction.

"In primitive picture-writing, each sign meant a whole sentence and even more the
image of a situation or of an incident being given as a whole; this developed into an
ideographic writing of each word by itself; this system was succeeded by syllabic
methods, which had in their turn to give place to alphabetic writing, in which each let-
ter stands for, or is supposed to stand for, one sound."

JESPERSON, the Danish philologist.

"Gesture language stands on the threshold of picture and sign writing, as it consists
chiefly of successive and transient delineations of objects, phenomena and symbols."

PROF. TERRIEN DE LACOUPERIE.

"Spoken sounds preceded written figures, and, before the invention of written sym-
bols, dealings by means of knotted cords came into existence These were followed by
cutting notches on wooden materials, WHICH GAVE WAY, IN TURN, TO FIGURES
REPRESENTING NATURAL OBJECTS, AND FORMS INDICATIVE OF AC-
TIONS, states or relations, cut out into lines to serve as counterparts of the spoken
names of the same objects, actions, states or relations. With these came graving knives,
and tablets for graving upon, and this was writing, the whole object of which was to
make speech visible." TIA TUNG, 1300 A. D.

"Ideographic writing directs the mind of the reader by means of a picture or a sym-
bol directly to the idea existing in the mind of the one who uses it, while alphabetic or
literal writing is simply the written expression of the sound, and only indirectly expresses
the idea." PROF. C. J. RYAN, Theosophical University, San Diego.

"There. is one great broad line that divides the nations and civilizations of the earth,
past and present, in all their arts of expression. We may call it that of the ideographic
or general, as against the literal or definite. It controls the inner, form of language and
of languages; it manifests in the passage of thought from man to man; it determines
whether the writing of the people shall be hieroglyphic or alphabetic/*

PROF. WILLIAM GATES, Peabody Institute.

SMOKE SIGNALS

The author has been asked many times to include a code of smoke signals in this
book, for the benefit of the Boy Scouts and others. Smoke signals were not a stand-
ardized code as in the sign language. Inasmuch as they aimed to transmit secret
knowledge, most or many of the signs were devised privately and to suit a particular
purpose or the caprice of the transmitter.

As the signals were visible to all, unless they had a secretly understood significance
they would be conveying the information alike to friend and enemy. There were,
however, certain more or less recognized abstract smoke signals, of which the follow-
ing are a few. One puff meant ATTENTION". Two puffs meant ALL 5 S WELL.
Three puffs of smoke, or three fires in a row, signifies DANGER, TROUBLE OR
A CALL FOR HELP.

An interesting diversion can be had by a party of Boy Scouts or others who will
first pre-arrange their code of signals, then some members of the party go to an
adjacent high hill or mountain, where they build a fire for the purpose on a visible
point After bringing the small fire to a blaze, a smoke fire is created by adding
some handfuls of grass or with some green branches which may have been carried
up for the purpose. Apart from the fire the most necessary adjunct is a/ blanket or
tarp' to control the smoke, which when the fire is smoking well is liberated in a series
of puffs, which convey the message.

At this ^point we would like to emphasize the importance of three signals of any
kind as indicating danger or a call for help. If any boy is ever in serious trouble
where he needs to call for help, three shouts, three whistles, three shots from a gun,
three smoke signals, three fires in a row at night in a place where they might be
visible, all should be interpreted to convey the message that a person is in danger
or requires assistance.

It should be impressed upon all boys that the number three, whether in shots,
fires, whistles or smokes, is the distress signal of Boy Scouts and of all woodsmen
plainsmen, and outdoor people generally. The importance of this signal cannot be
overestimated. It should always be borne in mind that under no circumstances
should this signal ever be given except in case of actual necessity, and never in a
joking or foolish manner.

HISTORY OF SIGN LANGUAGE

SOME RESEARCH WITH REFERENCE TO THE ORIGIN AND WIDE

DISSEMINATION OF INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

IN NORTH AMERICA.

Much deserved credit is due the Plains Indians for having developed and perpetuated
the Indian sign language. So much credit has been given them in this regard that the
language has been commonly known as the sign language of the Plains Indians, by which
title, in keeping with general usage, it is referred to on the title page of this work. Inas-
much, however, as investigation has served to indicate that the language has other and
more remote origin, the author has made something of a hobby of research along this
line and is pleased to freely offer his findings, for such conclusion as more capable stu-
dents may determine.

Some authorities contend that because gesture is practically unknown among the
present Indians of the Southwest, that it was never known in that region. This alone
has been enough to stimulate the author to research along this line, if only in a spirit of
fairness, and we offer our findings for the consideration of the jury of those who shall
peruse these pages.

Every record of the landing of Columbus tells of how they communicated with the
Indians by signs. The records of all early explorers have information of this nature.
It is contended that these general statements are true of all parts of the world, there-
fore the task devolves of proving by research and deduction that the North American
signs comprised a more perfect language and were the forerunner of the sign language
contained herein. Let us take for example the story of the landing of Cabrillo in San
Diego Bay in September, 1542. A free translation of the visit, contained in the U. S.
Geographic Report of 1879, reads as follows:

"And the following day, in the morning, there came to the ship three large Indians,
and by signs they said that there were traveling in the interior men like us, with beards,
and clothes and armed like those of the ships, and they made signs that they carried
cross-bows and swords, and made gestures with the right arm as if they were throwing
lances, and went running in a posture as if riding on horseback, and made signs that
they killed many of the native Indians, and that for this they were afraid. This people
are well disposed and advanced; they go covered with the skins of animals."

In Coronado's Journal, 1540, speaking of the Tonkawa, or Comanche, tribes that in-
habited the district now known as Western Texas, he states:

"That they were very intelligent is evident from the fact that although they con-
versed by means of signs, they made themselves understood so well that there was no
need of an interpreter." . . . "They are kind people and not cruel, they are faithful, they
are able to make themselves very well understood by means of signs."

Garrick Mallery, of the Smithsonian Institute, said in 1879 that though some suggest
a Spanish origin of sign, there is ample evidence that the Spaniards met signs in their
early explorations north of and in the northern parts of Mexico, and availed themselves of
them, but did not invent them. He said it is also believed by some authorities that the
elaborate system of picture writing of Mexico was founded on gesture signs.

Dr. Wm. H. Corbusier, Surgeon U. S. Army, a deep student of Indian affairs, said in
1878:

"The traditions of the Indians point towards the South as the direction from which
the sign language came." "The Comanches acquired it in Mexico." "The Plains Indians
did not invent it."

Dr. Francis H. Atkins, Surgeon U. S. Army, in his early writings over fifty years
ago, alludes to the effect of the Spanish, or rather the "lingua Mexicana," upon all the
Southern tribes as well as upon some of those to the North, by which "Recourse to signs
is now rendered less necessary."

HISTORY OF SIGN LANGUAGE

Rev. J. O. Dorsey contended fifty years ago that the Poncas in Indian Territory
never saw sign language until they were sent south to that district.

Cabeca de Vaca in 1528 said that the Indians of Tampa Bay were active in the use
of signs, and in his journeying for eight subsequent years through Texas and Mexico,
remarked that he passed through many dissimilar tongues, but that he questioned and
received the answers of the Indians by signs "Just as if they spoke our language and we
theirs."

Ruxton, in his "Adventures in Mexico and the Rocky Mountains," (New York, 1848,)
sums up his experiences with regard to the southwestern tribes so well as to require
quotation.

"The language of signs is so perfectly understood in the Western country, and the
Indians themselves are such admirable sign talkers, that, after a little use, no difficulty
whatever exists in carrying on a conversation by such a channel; and there are few
mountain men who are at a loss in thoroughly understanding and making themselves in-
telligible by signs alone, although they neither speak or understand a word of the Indian
tongue."

Mr. Ben Clark, the skillful interpreter at Fort Reno, stated:

"The Cheyennes think the sign language originated with the Kiowas, who brought it
from Mexico."

Col. Richard I. Dodge, U. S. Army, considered in 187S, through an experience of over
30 studious years among the American Indians, to be an authority, said:

"The Plains Indians believe that the sign language was invented by the Kiowas."
(who lived to the Southward.) "It is certain that the Kiowas are more universally pro-
ficient than any other Plains tribe."

In Bossu's "Travels through that part of North America formerly called Louisiana,"
(Forster's translation, London, 1771,) an account is given of a party who remained with
them two years and "Conversed in their pantomimes with them."

In the report of Fremont's expedition of 1844 special and repeated allusion is made
to the expertness of the Piutes in signs, also regarding a band of Indians near the sum-
mit of the Sierra Nevada, and a band of "Digger" Indians encountered on a tributary of
the Rio Virgen who were likewise well versed in signs.

Ernest Thompson Seton says that he found sign language, many years ago, to be a
daily necessity when traveling among the natives of New Mexico, also that in Western
Manitoba and Montana he found it used among the various Indian tribes as a common
language.

Dr. E. B. Tyler, the eminent authority who wrote "Researches into the early history
of mankind," after a lifetime of study stated that "The same signs serve as a medium of
converse from Hudson Bay to the Gulf of Mexico."

Many of the Indians, in a variety of tribes, have stated that in former times the
sign language was the one common and universal means of communication between
all the tribes of American Indians who spoke different vocal languages. As he ex-
pressed it, "All the old people in all the tribes used it."

Little Raven, the former head chief of the Southern Arapahoes, said in regard to
the use of gestures: "I have met Comanches, Kiowas, Apaches, Caddos, Gros Ventres,
Snakes, Crows, Pawnees, O sages, Arickarees, Nez Perces, Cherokees, Choctaws, Chicka-
saws, Sacs and Foxes, Pottawattomies, and other tribes whose vocal languages, like
those of the tribes named, we did not understand, but we communicated freely in sign
language."

"The summer after President Lincoln was killed we had a grand gathering of all
the tribes to the east and south of us. Twenty-five different tribes met near old Fort
Abercrombie on the Wichita River. The Caddos had a different sign for horse, and
also for moving, but the rest were made the same by all the tribes."

Chief Joseph of the Nez Perces said that his tribe learned the language from the

HISTORY OF SIGN LANGUAGE 95

Blackfeet, some 80 years earlier, and yet it is a well-known fact that these Indians used
gesture speech long before that time.

Nichelle, chief of the Pend d'Oreilles, said: "All the tribes talk in signs when they
meet if they cannot understand each other's vocal language. The Blackfeet, Crows, Flat-
heads, Kootenays, Peleuses, Cayuses, Pend d'Oreilles, Coeur d'Alenes, Spokanes, Nez
Perces, Yakimas and others all make the same signs.

"When I was a boy my grandfather told me that a long time ago when two tribes
met that did not speak the same vocal language, they always talked in signs."

In the record of Major Long's expedition, of which he wrote in 1822, it tells how
on his way down the Mississippi a number of strange Indians came into his camp, and
Mr. Nolin, who was present, addressed them in such of the languages as he was ac-
quainted with and was not understood. He then conversed by certain signs. These were
fully understood by the Indians and were answered in like manner. Directly a conver-
sation ensued in which not a word was spoken. "This," said Nolin, "is a universal lan-
guage common to the Western Tribes."

Dr. W. Matthews and Dr. W. C. Bateler, who made comparisons of the signs re-
ported by the Prince of Wied in 1832, proved the remarkable degree of permanency of the
signs, most of which have persisted unchanged in their essentials.

In the report of Major Long's expedition of 1819 among a number of scattered In-
dian tribes it states that being ignorant of each others' languages, "many of them when
they met would communicate by means of signs, without difficulty or interruption."

Michaelius, writing in 1628, says of the Algonquins on or near the Hudson River:
"For purposes of trading as much was done by signs with the thumb and fingers as by
speaking."

There is some recorded testimony and evidence of extensive early use of gesture
signs by several tribes of Iroquoian and Algonkian families, although their advanced
social condition worked against its continuance. The gradual decadence of signs used by
our Indians in general arose from their general acquaintance with the English language.

The Rev. Edward Jacker, in 1878, contributed to the Bureau of American Ethnology
valuable information upon the use of gesture language in earlier times by the Ojibways
of Lake Superior.

From remoter parts of North America we learn, prior to 1879, from Mr. J. W.
Powell, Indian Superintendent, of the use of sign language among the Kutine; and from
Mr. James Lenihan, Indian Agent to the Selish, of their using signs; both tribes of
British Columbia.

The pueblo of Taos is, of all the pueblos, the farthest east and north, and has at
all times been the connecting link between the Plains Indians and the Desert Indians.
Intermarriage was frequent, and as a result the sign language, if it had not been there
already, would naturally have been disseminated through the entire Southwest.

Two widely separated historic incidents illustrate the use to which natural sign
language had been put when white men first met Indians. When Captain John Smith
and some of his followers had their first conference with Indians, after a skirmish in
which the Indians had been repulsed with the loss of their idol, the record says:

Captain John Smith, stepping forward, stood face to face with the dark-skinned
messenger, and BY DINT OF MANY GESTURES made himself understood.

This was the message he made the Indians understand "by dint of gestures : v

"If you will send six unarmed men to load my boat with provisions, I will return
your idol and give you beads and copper, and will be your friend. Say this to your com-
rades while we await their answer."

On the western side of the continent, up in Oregon, French traders met the Indians
many years later. Telling of the first meeting, the chief of the Nez Perces said: "Our
people could not talk with these white-faced men, but they used signs, which all people
understand."

GENERAL USE OF IDIOMS

While the idiom is held in small esteem by some schoolmasters and old-fashioned
grammarians, good writers in general admire and use it, for it is, in truth, "the life
and spirit of language."

Throughout this work various examples are shown of seemingly peculiar idiomatic
construction. This is no different from the English language, which is just as idio-
matic in its construction and use. The writer has found over 2100 idioms in the English
language, some of which follow:

At beck and call.

To cut and run.

Fits and starts.

Over head and ears.

At sixes and sevens.

By hook or by crook.

To sink or swim.

Off and on.

As bold as brass.

As cool as a cucumber.

To cool one's heels.

Right off the reel.

To show one's colors.

To keep your head.

To keep your head above water.

To lose your head.

To hold your head high.

To hang your head.

To have a head on your shoulders.

To have your head turned .

To have a swelled head.

To take into your head.

To put out of your head.

To put into someone's head.

To talk your head off.

To bite your head off.

To beat your head against a wall.

To throw yourself at the head of.

To put your head in a noose.

To put your heads together.

To come to a head.

To bring on your head.

Head over heels.

Head and shoulders above.

From head to foot.

On his high horse.

To take the bit in one's teeth.

At one fell swoop.

To take with a grain of salt.

In a nutshell.

Be there with bells on.

A chip of the old block.

He is a bad egg.

All roads lead to Rome.

To cudgel one's brains.

To lend a hand.

As fit as a fiddle.

To take heart.

To lose heart.

To take to heart.

To set your heart on.

To have at heart.

To be the heart and soul of.

To have a soft (or hard) heart.

To give one's heart.

To lose your heart.

To win someone's heart.

To touch the heart of.

To make one's heart leap.

To have a soft place in your heart.

To do your heart good.

To have your heart in your mouth.

To wear your heart on your sleeve.

From the bottom of the heart.

With all one's heart.

Sick at heart.

Heavy of heart.

Down hearted.

Heart-broken.

Heart whole.

EXAMPLES OF SENTENCE FORMATION

SENTENCES FOR PRACTICE.
Showing the English thought <and the Indian Sign equivalent.

ENGLISH. (In lower case)

1. I like to swim,

2. You like to eat.

3. We like to* walk.

4. Fish swim under the water.

5. Beavers swim fast.

6. Scouts swim at camp.

7. Horses eat grass.

8. Dogs like to eat meat.

9. I eat with my .father.

10. Two men are walking by the river.

11. Do you like to walk in the woods?

12. Five boys are walking to camp.

13. The girl is running.

14. The dog is running with the girl.

15. Horses can run fast.

16. Do you know howtto swim?

17. Can they build a fire?

18. I can read.

19. Do you understand Indian Sign

Language?

20. I understand a little.

21. Have you seen the horse?

22. I have not seen the horse.

23. Where are you going?

24. I am going to my home.

25. Your friend wants to go along.

26. Do you want to eat now?

27. Not now, I am not hungry.

28. I want to get a drink of water.

29. I want to go to sleep.

30. Indians drink water from the

river.

31. They catch fish in the lake.

32. Look, it is raining.

33. Do you see the big dog?

34. A cat sees well at night.

35. I cannot see to work now.

36. We like to work in summer.

37. A girl- must help her mother.

38. A good scout likes to help others.

39. My sister does not want to cook

supper.

40. Can you make coffee?

41. I will -cut wood and build a fire.

42. When do we eat, at noon?

43. I do not eat much for breakfast.

44. All the smaller Ibirds sleep at

night.

45. The owl sleeps in the daytime and

flies at night.

46. Bears sleep all winter.

INDIAN SIGN. (In capitals)
I FOND SWIM.
YOU FOND EAT.
I ALL FOND WALK.
FISH SWIM BELOW WATER.
BEAVER SWIM FAST.
SCOUT SWIM CAMP.
HORSE EAT GRASS.
DOG FOND MEAT. EAT.
WITH MY FATHER, I EAT.
TWO MAN WALK BESIDE RIVER.
QUESTION YOU FOND WALK AMONG

TREES.

FIVE BOY WALK CAMP.
GIRL RUN.

DOG RUN WITH GIRL.
HORSE KNOW RUN FAST.
QUESTION YOU KNOW SWIM.
QUESTION HE ALL KNOW MAKE FIRE.
I UNDERSTAND READ.
QUESTION YOU KNOW INDIAN SIGN

LANGUAGE?
I KNOW LITTLE.
QUESTION YOU SEE HORSE.
I HORSE SEE NOT.
QUESTION WHERE YOU GO?
I GO MY HOUSE.

YOUR FRIEND WANT GO WITH YOU.
QUESTION YOU WANT EAT NOW.
NOW NOT. I NO HUNGRY.
I WANT WATER.
I WANT SLEEP.
INDIAN GO RIVER. DRINK WATER.

THEY TAKE FISH LAKE.

SEE. RAIN.

QUESTION YOU SEE BIG DOG.

CAT SEE GOOD TOGETHER NIGHT.

I CANNOT SEE WORK NOW.

I-ALL FOND WORK LONG-GRASS-TIME.

GIRL MUST WORK WITH MOTHER.

GOOD SCOUT FOND WORK WITH ALL

PEOPLE.
MY SISTER WANT NOT MAKE EAT

EVENING.

QUESTION YOU KNOW MAKE COFFEE.
I CHOP WOOD. MAKE FIRE.
QUESTION FUTURE-TIME WE EAT.

SUN HIGH.

I EAT NOT MUCH SUNRISE.
ALL LITTLE BIRD SLEEP NIGHT.

OWL SLEEP DAY. FLY NIGHT.
BEAR MAKE BIG SLEEP COLD TIME.

EXAMPLES OF SENTENCE FORMATION

47. How quietly the baby sleeps in its

little bed.

48. Last summer .we went to the

mountains.

49. I like to see it snow in winter.

50. We have lived here ten years.

51. By brother is six years old.

52. The old Indian chief is very brave.

53. The old flag waves over the

church.

54. Come her-e and look at the moon.

55. We see the moon and the stars at

night.

56. Only the sun shines today.

57. I would rather walk alone.

58. I have only one brother.

59. My only brother is very strong.

60. The soldier has only bne son.

61. Little girls often laugh.

62. We often see the soldiers march.

63. Birds sing frequently in the

Spring 1 ,

64. Are you an Arapahoe?

65. No, I am a Cheyenne chief.

66. What is your- name?

67. My name is Big Beaver.

68. I would like to know your name.

69. My name is White Crow.

70. I am an Arapahoe scout.

71. Where do yo-u live?

72. I live across the mountains.

73. What are you doing here?

74. I am hunting beaver.

75. Have you caught any?

76. No, the beavers are all gone.

77. Did you see any white men to-

day?

78. Yes, on ^the other side of the

mountain.

79. How 'many did you see?

80. I saw one, alone.

81. Was he a jyoung man?

82. No, he was very old.

83. What was he doing?

84. He was leading two horses.

85. Where did he go?

86. He went up the river.

87. We are holding a council tonight.

88. Good, can I sit in?

89. Yes, all chiefs are welcome.

90. Where does your council meet?

91. Among the trees.

92. Where are the trees?

93. Over the river, beside the moun-

tain.

94. Are yoiu hungry?

95. Yes, I had no breakfast.

BABY SLEEP QUIET LITTLE BED.

LONG-GRASS-TIME BEYOND WE GO

MOUNTAIN.

I FOND SEE SNOW WINTER.
TEN WINTER ME-ALL SIT TEEPEE

HERE.

MY BROTHER HAVE SIX WINTER.
OLD INDIAN CHIEF MUCH BRAVE.
OLD FLAG FLY ABOVE GOD-HOUSE.

COME HERE, SEE MOON.

ME-ALL SEE MOON WITH MANY STAR

NIGHT.

ALONE SUN WORK GOOD DAY NOW.
I WANT WALK ALONE.
I HAVE ONE ALONE BROTHER.
MY ALONE BROTHER 'MUCH STRONG.
SOLDIER HAVE ONE ALONE SON.
LITTLE GIRL LAUGH OFTEN.
WE SEE SOLDIER WALK OFTEN.
BIRD SING OFTEN SHORT-GRASS-

TIME.

QUESTION YOU ARAPAHOE?
NO I CHEYENNE CHIEF.
QUESTION YOU CALLED.
I CALLED BIG BEAVER.
I FOND KNOW YOU CALLED.
I CALLED WHITE CROW.
I SCOUT. ARAPAHOE.
QUESTION WHERE YOU SIT?
I SIT 'ACROSS MOUNTAIN.
QUESTION YOU WORK HERE?
I HUNT BEAVER.
QUESTION YOU TAKE BEAVER?
NO. BEAVER ALL GONE.
QUESTION YOU SEE WHITE MAN DAY

NOW?
YES. ACROSS MOUNTAIN.

QUESTION MANY YOU SEE?

I SEE ONE. ALONE.

QUESTION WHITE MAN FEW WINTER?

NO. WHITE MAN MUCH OLD.

QUESTION WHITE MAN DO?

WHITE MAN LEAD TWO HORSE.

QUESTION WHERE HE GO?

WHITE MAN GO UP RIVER.

WE SIT COUNCIL NIGHT NOW.

GOOD. QUESTION I SIT WITH YOU?

YES. WE FOND ALL CHIEF SIT WITH

US.

QUESTION WHERE YOU SIT COUNCIL?
AMONG TREES.
QUESTION WHERE TREES.
ACROSS RIVER, BESIDE MOUNTAIN.

QUESTION YOU HUNGRY?
YES. I NO EAT SUNRISE.

EXAMPLES OF SENTENCE FORMATION

96. I have plenty of food.

97. Good, where is it?

98. At my teepee.

99. All right, let's go.

100. You are my good friend.

101. Before the white man came, many

buffalo roamed the plains.

102. After the white man came, the

buffalo' disappeared.

103. Now cattle feed where once the

buffalo roamed.

104. Don't wait for me, I'll come

pretty soon.

105. I will sit here and read until he

finishes his work.

106. I should like to see a beaver when

it starts to cut down a tree.

107. May the Great Spirit permit your

moccasins to make tracks in
many snows.

108. May the Great Scoutmaster of all

good scouts be with us all now
and forever.

109. When do we go on our overnight

hike to scout camp?

110. The Pawnees had a chief whose

name was Spotted Bull.
11. Spotted Bull aroused the Pawnees
to make war on the Sioux.

112. The Pawnees had many good

warriors, also horses and rifles.

113. The Pawnees buildup their ^ own

courage by villifying the Sioux.

114. The Pawnees said that the Sioux

men were squaws and didn't
know how to fight, and that the
Sioux made weak medicine.

115. Spotted Bull, the Pawnee Chief,

stole many horses and took
them across the little Snake
River.

116. The Sioux saw the trail, followed

it for many days and put up a
big fight.

117. They killed nine Pawnees, took

all the Sioux and Pawnee
horses, and went back to the
Sioux camp.

118. The Pawnees were ready to quit.

119. They called a council with the

Sioux and made peace.

120. It looks like rain today, we'll

start our deer hunt tomorrow.

121. If the snow is deep the birds can-

not find food to eat.

122. If you want to go with us, you

must be ready at noon.

123. Did you speak, to me? Yes, I told

you to follow me.

I 'HAVE PLENTY FOOD.

GOOD. QUESTION WHERE?

MY TEEPEE.

GOOD, WE GO.

YOU GOOD FRIEND.

TIME-PAST MANY BUFFALO WALK
ACROSS PRAIRIE; TIME-FUTURE
WHITEMAN COME.

TIME-PAST WHITEMAN COME, TIME-
FUTURE BUFFALO ALL GONE.

NOW SPOTTED BUFFALO EAT WHERE
TIME-PAST BUFFALO WALK.

WAIT ME NOT. I COME SHORT-TIME
FUTURE.

I SIT, READ. FUTURE-TIME HE FIN-
ISH WORK.

I WANT SEE BEAVER TIME- FUTURE
BEGIN CUT TREE.

GREAT MYSTERY HELP YOUR MOC-
CASIN MAKE TRACK ABOARD
SNOW LONG-TIME.

GREAT MYSTERY ALL GOOD SCOUT
SIT WITH YOU ALL NOW AND
FOREVER.

QUESTION FUTURE-TIME WE WALK
SCOUT CAMP? STAY. SLEEP CAMP.

TIME-PAST PAWNEE HAVE CHIEF
CALLED SPOTTED-MALE-BUFFALO.

SPOTTED-MALE-BUFFALO MAKE BIG
TALK. SAY PAWNEE MUST MAKE
WAR SIOUX.

PAWNEE HAVE MANY BRAVE WAR-
RIOR WITH MANY HORSE MANY
GUN.

PAWNEE MAKE OWN HEART STRONG.
ABUSE SIOUX,

PAWNEE SAY SIOUX MAN EQUAL
WOMAN, UNDERSTAND FIGHT -NO.
MAKE STRONG -MEDICINE NO.

SPOTTED MALE BUFFALO. CHIEF

PAWNEE, STEAL MANY HORSE.

MAKE HORSE GO ACROSS LITTLE

SNAKE RIVER.
SIOUX SEE TRAIL, FOLLOW TRAIL

MANY SLEEP, MAKE BIG FIGHT.

THEY KILL NINE PAWNEE, TAKE ALL
SIOUX HORSE, ALL PAWNEE
HORSE, GO CAMP SIOUX.

PAWNEE WANT STOP FIGHT.

THEY SIT COUNCIL WITH SIOUX. ALL
MAKE PEACE.

PERHAPS RAIN DAY NOW, WE GO TO-
MORROW HUNT DEER.

PERHAPS SNOW MUCH, BIRD CANNOT
SEE TAKE 'EAT.

PERHAPS YOU WANT GO WITH US,
YOU MUST GO NOON.

QUESTION YOU SPEAK ME? YES I SAY
YOU FOLLOW ME.

100

EXAMPLES OF SENTENCE FORMATION

124. Wait a moment. You cannot

speak while everyone is chatter-
ing.

125. Be quiet, listen to the speaker.

126. Tell your secrets only to your

friends.

127. Very many Sioux Indians are

good singers and dancers.

128. The bird builds its nest in a tree.

129. The black bear grows very big.

130. For many days the forest fire

burned fiercely.

131. The man is poor and blind.

132. A bad man stole my fine horse to-

day.

133. The Indian ran all the way home,

and when he reached home was
very tired.

134. White men labor hard to make

money.

135. When the wind blows hard, the

fire burns brightly.

136. What did the dog eat last eve-

ning?

137. The old woman went to the

farmer to get some corn.

138. Today I saw a large flock of

blackbirds roosting in a tree.

139. Children love to sing and dance

and laugh.

140. The Dakota Chief, Crazy Horse,

was a fearless man and lived in
the Sioux country on Cheyenne
River.

WAIT LITTLE. YOU CANNOT SPEAK.
ALL PEOPLE LITTLE TALK.

QUIET: LISTEN: MAN TALK.
ALONE WITH FRIEND TALK SECRET.

MANY SIOUX SING DANCE GOOD.

BIRD MAKE HOUSE ABOARD TREE.

BEAR COLOR BLACK GROW MUCH BIG.

FOREST FIRE BURN STRONG LONG-
TIME.

MAN HAVE MONEY NOT, SEE NOT,
EYE WIPED OUT.

MAN, HEART BAD, STEAL MY GOOD
HORSE DAY NOW.

INDIAN RUN HOUSE, ARRIVE-THERE
MUCH TIRED.

WHITE MAN WORK MUCH, EFFORT

GET MONEY.
WIND GO FAST. FIRE BURN STRONG.

QUESTION DOG EAT YESTERDAY SUN-
SET?

WOMAN OLD GO FARM-MAN, BRING
CORN.

DAY NOW I SEE MANY LITTLE BIRD
COLOR BLACK SIT TREE.

LITTLE BOY LITTLE GIRL FOND SING
DANCE LAUGH.

DAKOTA CHIEF CALLED CRAZY
HORSE SIT SIOUX COUNTRY BE-
SIDE GOOD RIVER.

For a long time I have been wanting
to get a place for a mountain camp.
Last summer I found a place that I
thought would do very well. It was
all wooded; it had a creek running
through it; and there was a beauti-
ful spot for a camp. The owner
wanted $500.00, and I bought it on
the spot.

Two months ago I took two friends
with me and -went up to start the
camp. The day we got there we
saw tracks of deer and bear, and
caught isome fish for supper. We
were too tired when night came to
put up our tents, and we didn't think
it would rain anyway. We made up
our beds near the fire and lay down
to sleep.

In the middle of the night it began
to rain. Before daylight we were
soaking wet. One of my friends got
sick, and there was no Doctor any-
where near. Much to our disgust,
we had to break camp and come
back home.

LONG-TIME-PAST I WANT BUY LITTLE
LAND MOUNTAIN MAKE CAMP.
LONG-GRASS-TIME BEYOND I SEE
LITTLE LAND I THINK GOOD. LIT-
TLE-LAND POSSESS MANY TREES,
POSSESS RIVER-^LITTLE, MAKE
BEAUTIFUL CAMP. MAN WANT
SELL LITTLE-LAND FIVE HUND-
RED MONEY. I BUY LITTLE-LAND.

TWO MOON BEYOND I WITH TWO
FRIEND GO MAKE-RISE CAMP. WE
ARRIVE LITTLE-LAND; WE SEE
TRACK DEER, BEAR; WE TAKE
FISH EAT SUNSET. EVENING COME
WE TIRED. WE WANT NOT MAKE
RISE TENT; WE THINK RAIN NO.
WE MAKE BED 'NEAR FIRE, SLEEP.

MIDDLE NIGHT BEGIN RAIN. MORN-
ING COME, WE ALL MUCH WATER.
ONE FRIEND ARRIVE AT SICK.
WHITE -CHIEF -MEDICINE NEAR
NO. HEART MUCH TIRED, WE
MUST STOP SIT CAMP, COME
HOME.

VITALIZING A SIGN LANGUAGE PROGRAM 101

VITALIZING A SIGN LANGUAGE PROGRAM TO FIT
A BOY SCOUT TROOP MEETING PROGKAMi

Boys are always interested in mystery, secrecy, and all things that are beyond the
comprehension. Sign language can be made a vital part of the troop, for building troop
spirit and troop interest.

1. Instead of allowing scouts to enter the troop room helter-skelter, have the
Senior Patrol Leader, or one of the troop officers, receive the scout at the door and
ask him, in sign language, "Who are you?' 7 To which he responds in sign language,
"I am a good scout." Answering, the Leader says, "Good, come in." This continues until
all the boys are received. Then there may be two or three new lads who do not know
the sign, and of course will have a profound desire to learn it. The Scoutmaster then
has the opportunity, which is most important, of meeting these new lads and bringing
them into the troop. It is quite common for boys to deny other boys getting in on
the inside. The Scoutmaster then steps across, gives these boys a short talk, tells them
some of the intricacies of the scout program, and how they can become regular fellows
and get into the troop.

2. Let us now consider the scout that comes in late, interrupts the meeting,
attracts attention. He may break the trend of thought under consideration, especially
if he goes up and talks with the Scoutmaster and explains why he is tardy, etc. Instead,
let him come in in regular form, approach the flag, salute it, salute the Scoutmaster,
and in sign language say he is sorry, (heart on the ground), that he wants to come in.

3. Build into each patrol, patrol sign language which all the members of the patrol
will understand. This will help toward building patrol spirit, and a unity within the
troop having its origin within the patrol.

4. Ceremonial, also initiation. For these we have regular suggested forms.

5. As an alternative, when there is possibly only one to introduce, the tenderfoot
can be brought into the room by a scout who offers him as a member. The scout who
brings the candidate in may say: "I bring this boy, make good scout." This will be
mysterious to the candidate, will keep him guessing as to what is being said about
him, will show him that there is something to learn and understand, and will inspire
him to come through a hundred per cent in order to measure up to the mysticism
that surrounds the ceremonial. After two or three questions have been exchanged and
answered, the candidate is then received into the program and is relieved of any anxiety
and told that he may now become a regular member, etc. He should then be turned
over to whoever is in charge of the sign language work, and be properly prepared and
taught some of the mysteries of the troop program. This should not be confused in
any way with secrecy or with the secret fraternity idea.

6. Instead of the usual method of scouts attention, or scouts alert, form a straight
line. The leader puts forth his hands, giving the signal for calling attention. He then
gives the order:

A. Stand.

B. Sit down.

C. Attention.

D. Look at Bulletin Board.

E. Return to Patrol Formation.

7. Signs or signals can be given for troop on the move. Signal to call patrol leaders
to Big Chief. Signal for calling patrols in circle formation. Signal for calling "Troop
circle formation." Signal for "Straight line formation." Signal for "Sit down for an
Indian story." Signal for "Council meeting of troop officers and patrol leaders."

The foregoing ideas are possible of an immense variety of treatment, and can as
well be adapted to the use of Girl Scouts, Campfire Girls, Rangers, or any organization
of youth.

102 SUGGESTED TROOP PROGRAM

SUGGESTED TROOP PROGRAM

Before 7:30 DUMB BELL TAG. The players stand scattered about the playing area
one of their number being "it" and is placed in the center of the area. A
dumb bell or some similar object is passed from one player to another,
"it" attempting to tag the player who has the dumb bell. If he succeeds,
the one being tagged is "it".

7:30 Fall in. Roll call. Collection of dues. Inspection. Flag ceremony.

7:40 SAFETY DRILLS. Make your troop patrols rescue crews. Dramatize
ice or water rescues, electric accidents, automobile accidents, etc. Explain
mistakes afterwards make an inter-patrol contest out of it.

8:00 PATROL MEETING. Have some of your best sign talkers teach each
of your patrols the Indian Sign Language.
Instruct scouts in test passing for the court of honor.

8:20 Develop Indian Sign Language through games or stunts, and prepare them
for passing the Signaling tests for second or first class; also for the sign
language part and the Indian games portion of the new Indian Lore
Merit Badge. Give the playlet to some of your best sign talkers and let
them put it on.

8:50 Announcements. Scoutmasters 5 minutes. Read or talk on citizenship.
Scout handbook pages 532-540.

9:00 Fall in. Hand salute. Indian Sign Language Benediction. Troop dismissed.

INDIAN CEREMONY FOR OPENING COUNCIL FIRE

TWO BOY SCOUTS, FOUR INDIANS. THEY ENTER FROM DIFFERENT POINTS

Each Boy Scout holds up his hand and says : "How."

Each Indian holds up his right hand and says: "How."

INDIAN CHIEF: "What wants the paleface in the land of the Indian?"

BOY SCOUT: "We desire to camp here, oh chief, to live in the open as your people
have done, and to hold our council fire among these hills during the Red Moon and the
Falling Leaf Moon, even as the Indians did here a long time ago."

CHIEF: "Friends, this is the hunting ground of my forefathers. Many moons, long
ago, they roamed these hills, pitched their tepees in these valleys, and the smoke of their
council fires drifted above these tree tops^

"In great numbers they trod this trail to the lodge of their chief, from here but a
short journey. Upon this very hill lies the tomb of our Chief.

"My people were the friends of the animals, of the birds, the flowers and the trees.
They clothed us, sustained us and protected us. We respected all living creatures. We left
the woods and the fields as we found them. We ask that the White Man use these council
grounds the way the Indian did. If he do so, we are glad the White Man is here. I
have spoken."

BOY SCOUT: "We promise, oh chief, to protect everything that grows and lives in
the woods and fields of your ancestors. We will try to leave it as we found it, so that it
may be enjoyed by those who come after us. I have said it."

Sometime before the meeting have drawn on the ground, within the circle, with whiting
or lime, an outline of a snake. Then, at this pointf, the Chief rubs put the snake with his
foot and ^says : "We now destroy the snake with all it represents with its forked tongue
as there is no room for untruth or hatred here."

Chief gives the signs for: "I give you the Sun. I give you the Moon. I give you the
Deer, the Elk, the Bear, the Wolf, the Birds; I give you the council fire. I am your friend."

FIRE LIGHTING

Indians seated on the ground at side, each with a leafy branch. Each one in turn dances
around the fire, using the toe-heel and other two-step counts, then lays his branch on top
of the fire and returns to place.

Fire lighter prepares fire lighting set, while a Boy Scout or an Indian tells some kind
of an appropriate story, such as, "How the Coyote Stole the Fire." Or the fire can slide
down a wire from a place where it is concealed in a tree.

As soon as the story is finished, the fire should be lit.

Those who participated in the a>ct then say, "How" and exit.

(The entire proceedings should be in charge of a Chief who wears a headdress and
any other Indian equipment possible.)

SOME SIGN LANGUAGE SUGGESTIONS 103

SOME SIGN LANGUAGE SUGGESTIONS

In the West, where the writer has taught in many places, they make much use of sign
language. When two boys or girls leave camp or town on a hike they, in many cases, go
pledged from their departure until their return to communicate in no way except in sign
language. At camp fires and troop meetings they evolve little plays, games and contests
in sign language, thereby developing its practicability and its charm, All of this adds
mystery and spirit, and helps to strengthen a program.

HERE IS A SUGGESTION FOR A POSSIBLE PLAY
IN THE INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

By William Tomkins

The scene is somewhere in the wilderness. A father and son have been camping to-
gether. Going out on a hunt they get lost and cannot find camp. They meet an Indian.
(You can costume the Indian with a blanket and one or two feathers in a head band.)
The play opens as father and son walk out on the stage.

Father: "Well, son, it looks as if we are lost in the wilderness."

Son: "Yes, dad, we have been lost for three days now."

Father: "Unless something happens we are sure to perish."

Son: "Yes. I'm hungry and am afraid we'll starve."

The Indian walks in.

Father: "Hello, Mr. Indian, I'm glad you came. We are lost. How can we get out
of here?"

Indian: "No sabe." (This is said with fingers to his lips.)

Father: "Isn't there anyone around here that speaks English?"

Indian: "No sabe."

Son: "Say, dad, maybe he knows Indian sign."

Father: "Do you know it?"

Son: "Yes, I learned it in Scouting."

Father: "Well, go ahead ; try it."

Son: (Indian sign) "Do you understand Indian sign language?"

Indian: (Indian sign) "Yes, I understand."

Son: "It's all right, dad; he says he knows it. What shall I ask him now?"

Father: "Why, tell him we're lost."

Son: (I. S.) "We're lost."

Indian: (I. S.) "No, you no lost, you here."

Son: "Dad, he says we're not lost; we're here."

Father: "Well, I guess he's right at that. Tell him we went out hunting and can't find
our camp."

Son: (I. S.) "We go hunt. Cannot find camp."

Indian: (I. S.) "Where is your camp?"

Son: "Dad, he wants to know where our camp is."

Father: "That's just what I don't know. Tell him it's by a lake."

Son: (I. S.) "We make-rise tent beside lake,"

Indian: (I. S.) "Me understand. Three lakes beside here."

Son: "He says there are three lakes near here."

Father: "Tell him it's a little lake near a big mountain."

Son: (I. S.) "Little lake beside big mountain."

Indian: (I. S.) "I understand. Go not now; night come fast. Stay (sit) with me.
Future time one sleep I go with you."

Son: "He says he knows where it is, Dad, but it's too late to go now. He says to stay
with him and he'll go with us tomorrow."

Father: "All right; we stay. I'm tired and hungry anyway."

Son: (I. S.) "Good, we stay with you."

Indian: (I. S.) "Perhaps you hungry. Come with me. I give you food."

Son: "He says if we're hungry, Dad, to go with him and he'll save us food."

Father: "All right, let's go."

All Exit,

104 SUGGESTION FOR INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE PLAYLET

SUGGESTION FOR INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE PLAYLET

A company of soldiers is camped on the prairie in the Indian country. An Indian
Scout, exhausted, reaches camp and tells of some recent trouble between two hostile bands
of Sioux and Cheyenne. After he has rested and recovered somewhat, he tells the story
in sign.

THE .STORY

Indian Scout: "I was traveling over the
prairie when down in the Cheyenne
River valley I saw two bands of In-
dians meet, I know they are Sioux
and Cheyenne, because they come
from Sioux and Cheyenne camps. Two
chiefs ride out and meet and con-
verse for a long time, but evidently
did not agree. They rode back to
their friends and soon they all start
shooting. I think it perhaps because
Sioux stole many Cheyenne horses."

Captain: "Where are the Indians now?"

Scout: "Across prairie, beside Chey-
enne River."

Captain: "Where is your horse?"

Scout: "Horse swim river, climb
mountain, go across prairie; horse
foot go down prairie dog hole, break
foot; shoot horse. I feel very bad."

Captain: "What do you think the In-
dians will do now?"

Scout: "I think perhaps the Indians
will go to the Fort and attack the
soldiers."

They all start for the Fort. On the way
they meet the two bands of Indians,
who are coming along together.

Captain, to Indians: "I thought you peo-
ple were fighting?"

Sioux Chief: "We fight a little while
and then understand it is bad medi-
cine; so we hold a council and make
peace."

Cheyenne Chief: "Sioux Chief speaks
the truth; his tongue is not crooked
like a snake. All Cheyenne and Sioux
Indians make peace and now live like
friends."

INDIAN SIGN EQUIVALENT

INDIAN SCOUT: "I RIDE OVER PRAIRIE.
GO GOOD RIVER VALLEY. SEE MANY
INDIANS WANT FIGHT. MANY SIOUX.
MANY CHEYENNE. COME SIOUX CHEY-
ENNE CAMP. TWO CHIEF RIDE. MEET.
TALK LONG TIME. GO WITH FRIENDS.
START SHOOT. I THINK PERHAPS
SIOUX STOLE MANY CHEYENNE
HORSE."

CAPTAIN: "QUESTION WHERE INDIANS
NOW?"

SCOUT: "ACROSS PRAIRIE BESIDE GOOD
RIVER."

CAPTAIN: "QUESTION WHERE YOUR
HORSE?"

SCOUT: "HORSE SWIM RIVER. CLIMB
MOUNTAIN. GO ACROSS PRAIRIE.
HORSE FOOT GO DOWN PRAIRIE DOG
HOLE. BREAK FOOT. SHOOT HORSE.
ME HEART ON THE GROUND." '

CAPTAIN: "WHAT YOU THINK INDIANS
DO NOW?"

SCOUT: "PERHAPS INDIANS GO FORT.
MAKE FIGHT WITH SOLDIERS."

ALL START FOR FORT. THEY MEET THE
TWO BANDS OF INDIANS COMING
ALONG TOGETHER.

CAPTAIN: "I UNDERSTAND YOU IN-
DIANS ALL FIGHT?"

SIOUX CHIEF: "YES. INDIANS FIGHT
LITTLE WHILE. ALL UNDERSTAND
FIGHT BAD MEDICINE. HOLD COUN-
CIL. MAKE PEACE."

CHEYENNE CHIEF: "SIOUX CHIEF TALK
TRUE. TONGUE NO CROOKED LIKE
SNAKE. ALL CHEYENNE SIOUX MAKE
PEACE. NOW FRIENDS, BROTHERS."

INDIAN CEREMONIAL INITIATION FOR BOY SCOUTS

105

INDIAN CEREMONIAL INITIATION FOR BOY SCOUTS

By William Tomkins

PROPERTIES.

Blanket or other drapery for each Scout. It is desirable that Tenderfoot Scouts wear
one feather, Second Class Scouts two, and First Class Scouts three. Scoutmasters
and assistants should have more pretentious display, if possible, (this can be an old
shirt, fringed and decorated with paint, etc., or made-up costumes, war bonnet.) If
possible have an electric or other council fire. Have a Tom-Tom, or a portable phono-
graph with Indian music.

STAGE SETTING.

Troop in Indian regalia seated in circle around fire, at distance of 15 feet. Chief
and assistants at fire within circle, according to diagram.

o o
o o

o _

OFF
.STAGE

ANTE
ROOM

SUB-CHIEF

CANDIDATES

o o o o o

GUIDE

O eHi r

SUB-CHIEF o

Lights out, or very dim. Fire in operation.

ACTION.

One of the assistants, or any combination of assistants or boys do an Indian dance,
to Tom-Tom or primitive music on portable phonograph, or have the music alone. All
this is optional and according to individual possibilities, but highly recommended.

All conversation around the fire is in sign language and therefore silent. A reader
in the back of the audience will interpret the gestures.

Guide enters with candidates. Halts them and comes close to outside of circle.
Makes sign of friendly greeting.

Chief invites him to come within circle, using sign language.

Guide signs that he has come a long ways, over mountains, (meaning the tests),
across a river, (meaning the parents' consent), with boys who want to make themselves
Scouts, (or with boys who want to sit at the council fire).

Chief signs for boys to be brought to the fire.

This is done by motion, by the guide.

Chief, (in sign): "Why want go with scouts?"'

Candidates, (Being scouts they are supposed to know the sign language): Want
go woods, make me strong, brave, true; rise in the world. (Be a rising man.)

The Chief and his assistants rise to their feet.

Chief: "Make scout oath."

Candidates make the oath in sign language, all may do it at once, or the candi-
dates may do it while the rest hold the oath sign.

Chief makes sign: "Good." V ^TT WP ATT

Chief pins tenderfoot pin on each candidate, then makes sign: YOU, MJ, A.LL,

106 EXERCISES SUITABLE FOR PASSING TESTS

BROTHERS, NOW, ALWAYS." Chief makes sign of shaking hands. He then motions
to scouts in each patrol, some members of which will come forward, (as many as there
are candidates), throw one arm and blanket over a candidate's shoulder, and bring him
to a place in the circle.

Then everybody will rise and give the Scout benediction in sign, or do a friendship
dance, followed by the benediction.

SIGN LANGUAGE EXERCISES SUITABLE FOR PASSING TESTS

There are a number of sentences which can be made up of the signs included in
the first 150 signs taught by William Tomkins in his lessons. These are also found
among the signs on page 64 of the Tomkins book. By learning the 200 signs on page
64 one can become quite fluent in the use of sign language. The following stories or
sentences will enable anyone to pass the first class test; in fact there are four times
as many as necessary for this, or to do the sign language required for the Indian Lore
Merit Badge.

I SEE YOU ALL COME HERE TODAY. NOW SEE ME TALK INDIAN
SIGN LANGUAGE. HAVE GOOD TIME.

WHERE YOU GO? I GO HOME. WHY? I WANT EAT. I WANT DRINK.
I WANT SLEEP. I WANT GO MAKE CAMP. WHAT YOU DO CAMPING?
I CHOP WOOD. I MAKE FIRE. I MAKE COFFEE. I GO WALK. I GO RUN.
I GO SWIM. I GO HUNT. I SEE DEER, ELK, BEAR, BEAVER, WOLF, BIRDS.
I HAVE GOOD TIME.

I RIDE HORSE ACROSS MOUNTAIN. GO ACROSS RIVER. GO ACROSS
LAKE. GO AMONG TREES. SEE FIVE DEER. SEE FOUR ELK. SEE THREE
BEAR. SEE TWO BEAVER. SEE ONE WOLF. SEE FIVE BIRDS. SHOOT
ONE DEER. SHOOT ONE ELK. SHOOT ONE BEAR. SHOOT ONE BEAVER.
SHOOT ONE WOLF. SHOOT FIVE BIRDS. COME HOME, EAT DRINK,
SLEEP.

TODAY NOW I TRADE HORSE WITH INDIAN CHIEF. INDIAN CHIEF
TRADE HORSE WITH ME.

TODAY NOW MANY PEOPLE COME HERE HAVE GOOD TIME. SEE
BOY SCOUT TALK INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE. BOY SCOUT WANT ALL
PEOPLE UNDERSTAND INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE. WANT ALL PEOPLE
TALK SIGN LANGUAGE GOOD.

LONG TIME AGO INDIAN BAD. LONG TIME AGO WHITE MAN BAD.
MAKE BIG FIGHT LONG TIME. NOW INDIAN GOOD. NOW WHITE MAN
GOOD. MAYBE SO. MAKE PEACE. FIGHT NOT.

I SEE ALL YOU GOOD PEOPLE. GOOD FATHER. GOOD MOTHER.
GOOD FRIEND. ALL COME HERE SEE SCOUTS. MAKE MEDICINE. SEE
ALL SCOUTS WORK GOOD. MAKE FIRE. MAKE FOOD. TALK INDIAN
SIGN LANGUAGE. HAVE SUNRISE IN HEART.

THREE CHEYENNE INDIAN BOY GO HUNT. COME SIOUX COUNTRY.
SIOUX MAKE WAR. THREE BOY SCOUT WALK QUIET. TALK SIGN LAN-
GUAGE. SIOUX SCOUT SEE BOY. GO TELL SIOUX CHIEF. CHIEF TELL
MEN GO TAKE THREE BOY. BOY SEE MEN COME. RUN FAST ABOARD
HILL. THREE BOY MAKE MANY BIG ROCK ROLL DOWN HILL. KILL
FIVE SIOUX. THREE BOY GO CHEYENNE COUNTRY FAST. SLEEP TWO
NIGHT. SEE MOUNTAIN GOAT. KILL ONE GOAT. EAT. GO HOME. MANY
CHEYENNE HEART SUNRISE.

GREAT SCOUT MASTER, ALL GOOD SCOUTS BE WITH YOU ALL
NOW, FOREVER.

(To sing Taps.) DAY DONE, GONE SUN. GO LAKE. GO HILL. GO TREE.
ALL GOOD. PEACE SLEEP. GREAT MYSTERY HERE.

IMMORTALITY

By WILLIAM TOMKINS

[So many Scout Executives, Service Club Members and others have asked for a
copy of the following poem that the author gives it herewith.]

Some think this world a vale of tears, or worry and of sighs;
That Life's a great big lottery, in which few win a prize.

I read some hopeless verses once that don't deserve to last-
They told how the mill can never grind with water that is past.

I'd like to change that fallacy which has caused so many a tear,
And by transposing make it bear a message of good cheer

And point the way of winds of hope, like pennant on a mast,

For I know that the mill can grind again with water that is past.

A mountain stream comes trickling in the sunlight down the hill,
And gathers volume until it has strength to run the mill;

It happily continues then, upon its useful way,

Turns other mills still further down, until it joins the bay.

Its temporary mission o'er, it sweeps out to the sea

With other useful waters bearing it company;
And there all peacefully they rest, beneath the shining sun.

Who seems to think their mission is scarcely yet begun.

With gentle force He lifts them up in vapors to the sky,

And gathers them in fleecy clouds in His domain so high,

Where kindly winds then waft them back to that mountain home,
From which a few short hours before we saw them start to roam.

The cooling night then causes them to fall in gentle showers,

A blessing to that mountainside, to grass and trees and flowers;

And in the dawn of early morn we find them back once more
In that same little mountainside, but stronger than before.

They gather volume as they come a-tumbling down the hill,

And then with added vigor again they turn the mill;
And then in play they rush away, through meadowland and town,

And every mill again is turned as they go dancing down.

The brightest day is no more useful than the darkest night,
Our troubles soon would disappear if we'd view them aright.

Good fortune may be holding back her best things to the last,

For I know that the mill can grind again with water that is past.

And that same little mountain stream

Has always been to me
But one of Nature's many proofs

Of Immortality.

OLD FRIENDS

The author and "BLAZE" m 1890.

OLD FRIENDS

The author and some of his friends.

HOW TO MAKE AN INDIAN HEADDRESS
OR WAR BONNET

i he artist in costume
e and his tuife mode-.
,,i& streamers oF
ujhite Fur uuere pre
Sdn+ed +0 hfrn b
UJambal

HOW TO MAKE AN INDIAN HEADDRESS OR WAR 'BONNET

The new Merit Badge on Indian Lore requires the making of a complete Indian
Costume, which includes headdress. While designs, decorations, and types vary, the
method of preparing feathers is much the same. The average "war-bonnet" requires 31
feathers, 15 each of right and left wing feathers, and one straight or tail feather. These
may be purchased from a commercial house specializing in Indiancraft supplies, or may
be secured locally. White goose feathers with tips sprayed a dark brown make excellent
imitation Eagle plumes.

In preparing feathers for headdress use, the first step is to soften bottom of quill
by holding over steam or immersing in hot water until sufficiently softened to permit
crushing a small section, (Fig. 1), after which base plumes should be securely attached,
(Fig. 2). The third step is to take a strip of leather about % inch wide and 5 inches long,
form a hinge by doubling, and bind on base of quill, leaving small loop at bottom, (Fig. 3).
Around this hinge sew a strip of red flannel 2/ 2 inches long and 1*4 inches wide, (Fig. 4),
being careful to have stitches at back of feather. This strip should be bound with yarn,
twine, or silk, (Fig. 5). A few strands of dyed horsehair or hemp should be cemented to
tip of feather, (Fig. 6), before cementing on tip plume (Fig. 7), as the finishing touch.

When feathers are completely prepared, encircle an old felt hat-crown with slots be-
ginning P/2 inches above the front edge of crown, and graduating to # inch above the
center of back edge, cutting two slots *4 inch apart, and skipping J4 inch between each pair
of slots (Fig 8). To the front of crown sew a previously prepared beaded band, drops
and rosette, with snaps or hooks in back, if you intend using a trailer. Drops may be a
weasel mink, squirrel tails or skins, feathers and ribbons decorated with small bells,
rattles shells, animal teeth or claws. The rosette may be of beads, shells, metal discs,
large buttons or mirrors, (Fig. 9).

When this is completed, sort feathers into right and left curves. If no straight feather
is available, a curved wing feather may be straightened by steaming and bending, which
is used as a center. The feathers are laced on with a leather thong or ordinary shoe lace
threaded through slots in crown hinges, continuing around, lacing all feathers to crown
(Fig 10) Lay bonnet with inside of crown fiat on table, backs of feathers up. Thread a
needle with well waxed, strong cord 6 feet long. Draw half of this cord through center
feather 4 inches above felt wrapping, and one side at a time continue to carefully thread
each feather, tying or half-hitching quill so that edge just touches the one next to it.
When both sides are completely strung, (Fig. 11), tie ends together at back, as shown by
Fig. 12. This "sets" the crown.

Figure 13 shows detail of preparing and attaching plume to center of hat-crown by
cutting slice out of quill (A), pushing end of quill through slot in crown of hat, back into
cut (B), and then binding (C). This plume signifies name of wearer and sometimes is
known as a "sun-pole," which signifies that wearer has danced the "Sun Dance. X in
Fig. 14 indicates where the plume is to be attached. The entire crown may be covered
with split feathers or fluff, adding to its attractive appearance.

To make the "trailer" (Fig. 14), red dt blue felt is desirable, although canvas or dyed
flannel are satisfactory substitutes. Use a strip 6 to 10 inches wide, and sufficiently long to
reach from neck to heel. Cut a row of holes down center, spaced as are those nt crown,
starting 4 inches from top and reaching to within 6 inches of bottom. The feathers are
prepared in the same manner as those used in the crown; with the -exception that a base
and tip plume must be added to the back of each feather. Starting at top with lace knotted
in back of strip, string feathers as in crown, tying off at bottom of strip. Back trailer with
lining, binding edges with colored tape. Join feathers with set-string, knotting at first
and last feather.

Figure 15 illustrates a double Sioux head gear in which crown is prepared the same
as in Fig 14, with the exception that 6 sets of holes in back of crown are omitted. Two
strips of material 3 to 4 inches wide, from neck to heel in length are sewed to back of
crown, edges of strips touching at top and slightly flaring out at bottom to leave space
of 6 to 8 inches. Continue slits from hat-crown down center of each trailer and attach

feathers in same manner to crown, continuing down trailers instead of encircling hat
crown.

Figure 16 illustrates a Blackfoot panel trailer, the feathers laying flat, 3 or 4 to a
row, attached by the method shown in -Fig. 13 rather than by using leather hinges. Panel
should be deep blue, edged with red, and fastened to hat by hooks or snaps.

Figure 17 illustrates a Nez Perce Medicine hat, on which is mounted a pair of cow
horns. The crown is covered with fur. A small mirror is mounted in the center of front of
crown by inserting in a pocket cut into a piece of leather as illustrated. The pocket is then
sewn down around mirror, after cutting an opening in the front slightly smaller than size
of mirror. Small holes are bored in tips of horns through which a well-waxed cord is
drawn and to the ends of which are attached tin rattles. Ori the cord is fastened a bunch
of colored fluff, while over the ears are secured bunches of medicine feathers, bell, shells,
claws, or other "totems" which the wearer may consider tokens of good luck, or "med-
icine."

[Headdress article by permission of Marshall G. Fowler of Stamford, Conn., an expert in this line.]

OLD FRIENDS

Sons of Dakotah.

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